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Purpose: This study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the literature on unemployment Takaful, job loss protection, and unemployment insurance from 2012 to 2023, illuminating trends, key contributions, and focal areas within the realm of insurance. Design/Methodology/Approach: Using the Scopus database, a systematic search was conducted using the keywords 'unemployment takaful', 'job loss protection', 'unemployment insurance', and 'insurance'. Publications were then analyzed to determine their distribution by year, contributing authors and institutions, citation frequency, keyword co-occurrence, and more. Findings: The period 2012 to 2023 witnessed a significant increase in research concerning unemployment protection mechanisms. 'Unemployment Insurance' emerges as a central topic, underscoring the focus on mechanisms to support individuals during joblessness, with major contributions from Friedman, 2014. Geographic distribution indicated a pronounced focus in United States (USA). Research Limitations/Implications: The analysis is constrained by the scope of the Scopus database and the selected keywords, potentially omitting relevant studies indexed elsewhere or under different terms. The findings underscore the need for interdisciplinary approaches in studying unemployment protection mechanisms and suggest potential avenues for future research. Practical Implications: The findings of this study showed there is a gap of the research in takaful discussing on the issues of employment safety. Most of the research conducted in developed nations and insurance company. This is suggested that, takaful should explored the are of unemployment takaful by providing an alternative for Muslim customers. Originality/Value: This bibliometric analysis presents a holistic overview of the literature landscape on unemployment protection mechanisms during a pivotal period. It serves as a foundational reference for researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders keen on understanding the evolution, trends, and gaps in this field. Keywords: Unemployment Takaful, Islamic Insurance, Unemployment protection, Unemployment insurance, Takaful and Insurance, Introduction This article attempts to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of publications on the subject from the Scopus database for the period of 2012 to 2023. The objectives of this [...]

Highlights: This paper is part of an ongoing study that aims to increase non-donors' willingness to donate blood by addressing barriers and facilitators influencing blood donation. This study will involve two (2) phases of data collection. The first data collection will involve the conduct of focus groups with the aim of exploring barriers and facilitators in blood donation among non-donors to develop items for the survey questionnaire development. Then, 300 young adults among non-donors will be invited to participate in the study survey. By analysing behaviour of non-donors in terms of their barriers and facilitators in blood donation, specific campaign program can be recommended to increase participation among non-donors in blood donation. Keywords: Blood donation, donation barriers, donation facilitators, Malaysia, non-donor, willingness, Introduction Blood donation is a vital component of healthcare. National Blood Centre (NBC) of Malaysia is a Malaysia's premier blood centre for transfusion medicine and transplant (Pusat Darah Negara, 2024). [...]

Purpose: The primary aim of this study is to explore how local Malaysian franchises can capitalize on the consumer shift triggered by the global boycott movement related to the Gaza war. Specifically, it seeks to understand the impact of the boycott on consumer behaviour and brand perception in Malaysia, examining the potential for increased patriotic consumption, ethical consumerism, and brand image repositioning among local franchises. Design/methodology/approach: The relationships between the consumer behaviour with brand perception and consumer boycotts are assessed before strategies to deal with the issues are diagnosed. Seminal works of classic and current consumer behaviour and brand perception literature are reviewed in developing the conceptual background of the paper. Findings: The findings suggest that the boycott movement has indeed influenced consumer behaviour in Malaysia, leading to increased support for local franchises among certain segments of the population. This shift is driven by a combination of patriotic consumption, ethical consumerism, and strategic brand repositioning by local franchises. The study identifies specific strategies that have been effective in leveraging the boycott to strengthen brand image and market share. Research limitations/implications: The discussion is limited to conceptual background of the aspects discussed. Further empirical studies would enhance the applicability of the discussions presented. Practical implications: The research provides practical insights for marketers and business leaders in local Malaysian franchises, offering strategies for navigating the complexities of the Boycott landscape. Originality/value: This study contributes original insights into the impact of global boycott movements on consumer behaviour and brand perception, with a specific focus on the Malaysian context. It fills a gap in the existing literature by exploring the potential for local franchises to thrive amidst a boycott, offering a theoretical framework that can guide future research and practical strategies for businesses. Keywords: Boycott Movement, Consumer Behaviour, Brand Perception, Local Malaysian Franchises, Introduction The Boycott movement, spurred by global socio-political events, has a significant impact on consumer behaviour and brand perception. The shifting consumer landscape indicates a significant change in the dynamics [...]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to help BAAF students understand the importance of financial literacy and financial management so that they can avoid and even handle upcoming financial issue that is deemed to happen to them soon with ease. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, a questionnaire was chosen to collect information from the intended audiences. A questionnaire is a collection of questions that have been adapted from earlier studies and are pertinent to the subject of the research. To examine the influence of study variables, the survey used a Google form and was distributed to BAAF students online via WhatsApp. The questionnaire is prepared based on a 4 - point Likert Scale Method from point 1 refers to strongly disagree to point 4 refers to strongly agree. The questionnaire is split up into three parts whereby part A is for demographic data such as gender, age, current year of study, average monthly allowance, average monthly expenses, allowances from parents and sources of allowances. Meanwhile, part B is for inquiries about independent factors which entails measuring how the four factors that influence BAAF students' spending habits. These four components are financial literacy, students' lifestyle, parental income, and peer pressure. Lastly, part C is for inquiries about the variable that respondents believe is the most influenced factor in their spending habits. Findings: The findings uncovered a wide range of factors that contribute to the spending behavior of BAAF students, including financial literacy, parental income, lifestyle choices, and peer influence. Notably, financial knowledge and lifestyle choices emerged as the two most influential internal factors that shape the spending habits of BAAF students. The survey data revealed that 31% of the respondents attributed their spending behavior to their financial knowledge, while 47 out of 100 respondents acknowledged that their lifestyle choices affect their spending habits. These findings highlight the complex nature of BAAF students' spending behavior, which is influenced by a variety of internal and external factors. Research limitations/implications: The limitation of the study is the small sample size which only focus on students at Kolej Poly-Tech MARA. Future research can explore on larger population which cover youth in Malaysia. Future research can look on other independent variables that affect spending behavior among youth in Malaysia in wider. Practical implications: The study aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge by identifying the factors affecting students spending behavior. Originality/value: The research builds additional literature and knowledge in the fields Keywords: Financial Management, Lifestyle, Parental Income, Peers Influence, Introduction A global recession is expected to occur in 2023. According to Roy (2022), the rate of global growth is rapidly declining, and as more nations experience recession, this rate [...]

Purpose: This article aims to address the deficiencies within Malaysia's Islamic property financing system, focusing on social justice and sustainability, in alignment with Shariah principles. Design/methodology/approach: Employing a comprehensive analysis, this study proposes a sustainable property financing model grounded in trade principles, emphasizing fairness, transparency and Shariah compliance. Findings: Several existing Islamic property financing practices in Malaysia fall short of Shariah principles, resembling conventional loans. The proposed model centers on property trade, ensuring genuine ownership transfer and adherence to Islamic tenets. Research limitations/implications: This article calls for a paradigm shift in Malaysia's Islamic property financing landscape, emphasizing the need for real trade transactions and legal ownership transfer. Further research should explore practical challenges and global adaptability. Practical implications: Implementing the proposed refinements could lead to a more equitable and sustainable financing ecosystem, addressing social justice concerns and fostering Shariah compliance. Originality/value: This study introduces a novel perspective, blending traditional values with modern financial practices, offering a promising framework for reshaping Malaysia's property financing trajectory. The proposed model aligns Shariah principles with social justice and sustainability goals. Keywords: Malaysia Madani, Ownership, Property Financing, Shariah, Social Justice, Sustainability, Introduction The inception of Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad in 1983 marked a significant milestone in the evolution of Islamic banking and finance in Malaysia. Over the years, Malaysia has emerged [...]

Purpose: In academic research, many studies are done to highlight issues faced during business start-ups, like limited resources among young entrepreneurs. However, very few studies were conducted to determine challenges faced undergraduate entrepreneurs. Students who have involves themselves in entrepreneurship at their universities have indeed gone through challenge along the way. Thus, the aim of this study is to explore the challenges of engaging in entrepreneurial activities among undergraduate students in Malacca. Design/methodology/approach: The qualitative research method was used in this study. The information was gathered through semi-structured interviews. The interview session included 15 undergraduate students at a Malaysian public university in Malacca as a sample of study. The interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis (TA). Findings: The results of this study have identified a number of challenges encountered by undergraduate students as they engage in entrepreneurship. Knowledge, financial, time, facility, location, competition and mentoring are challenges encountered by undergraduate's students while doing entrepreneurship activities. Research limitations/implications: The limitation of this study is that the participants are only from Malaysia public university in Melaka only. Practical implications: This finding is expected to contributes to economic growth and innovation within the region, as entrepreneurial ventures often lead to job creation and the development of new products and services. Originality/value: This study serves as a guideline for educational institutions, government agencies, industry stakeholders to provide a sustainable mechanism and strategy for future entrepreneurial activities in higher education institutions. Keywords: Undergraduate Student, Challenge, University, Entrepreneurship, Higher Learning Institution, Introduction In Malaysia, the Ministry of Higher Education has mandated that all students in public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) must study entrepreneurship subjects. This requirement is part of the Higher [...]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to study and review the current practice of waqf governance and accountability in Malaysia's State Islamic Religious Council (SIRC) in general. Waqf is becoming an increasingly important transaction practiced in most Muslim countries, and it provides benefits to the Muslim community in a variety of domains such as religion, education, medicine, and socioeconomic activities. The benefit of waqf is its long-term viability. Waqf is explored worldwide and it has become a SIRC stream discipline embedded in most organizations. The rapid development of waqf demands a good governance system to ensure the sustainability of waqf assets and benefits. However, it was found that waqf did not successfully meet the needs of the community as it should have because of issues such as mismanagement, non-uniformity in its practices, and lack of awareness by the Muslim community. The status of waqf has deteriorated to the extent that in some countries waqf assets have been neglected. In Malaysia, waqf management is under the jurisdiction of the state government and is entrusted to the SIRC. This has effects on the non-uniformity of laws and governance systems. Design/Methodology/Approach: Based on waqf practices, this study combines a qualitative research technique with an exploratory research design with content analysis and library research. It is appropriate because it entails the examination of documents, including the relevant books and empirical articles Findings: The findings from this study summarize the governance principles of both the public sector and the COSO 2013 standards are in line with Shariah governance, but the advantage of Shariah governance is dual accountability, which involves accountability to God and fellow human beings. This means that these governance systems and principles are complementary. Originality/value: In this contribution, we propose the improvement of the governance and accountability system. These improvements are important in assisting SIRC, as the sole trustee, in properly managing waqf. Indeed, the establishment of good and systematic governance is a paradigm shift that can assist in ensuring waqf assets and funds are managed and grown in a systematic manner, thus further ensuring their sustainability. Keywords: Waqf, Governance, Accountability, State Islamic Religious Council., Introduction Waqf has recently grown fast, and several types of waqf have emerged. Waqf was once limited to cemeteries, places of worship, educational institutions, and immovable property and buildings. However, [...]

Purpose: Malaysia is not an exception when it comes to employability challenges, which are becoming more serious by the year. The cooperation of universities, governments, and private enterprises is critical in supporting the national goal in the growth of entrepreneurship in Malaysia and ensuring the sustainability of entrepreneurial fields. The goal of this study was to identify the role of the triple helix model for siswapreneur development and sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: The qualitative research method was used in this study. The information was gathered through semi-structured interviews. The interview session included 14 siswapreneurs as a sample. The interview transcripts were coded and analyzed using a thematic analytics approach. Findings: The study's findings indicate that the involvement and support of universities, government agencies, and private corporations is critical if they are to be successful as entrepreneurs after graduation. Research limitations/implications: The limitation of this study is that the respondents are only from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Melaka Branch. Practical implications: This finding is expected to serve as a guide for policymakers, specifically the Ministry of Higher Education, in applying the triple helix model to boost siswapreneur development in higher education institutions. Originality/value: This study presents the important involvement of university, Government agencies and Private corporations in supporting the sustainable siswapreneur. Keywords: Siswapreneur, University, Government agencies, Private corporation, Sustainable development., Introduction Malaysia was contending with several pressing employment issues. One significant concern was the fluctuating unemployment rates. Furthermore, the global economy is expected to grow at a slower pace in [...]

Purpose: Waqf for Education (Waqf al-Tadris) focuses on supporting educational institutions, such as schools, colleges, universities, and vocational training centres. The income generated from the waqf assets is used to fund the operational costs, scholarships, teacher salaries, infrastructure development, and educational programs of these institutions. This study aims to identify the concept and historical implementation of educational institutions based on waqf in Malaysia. The study also attempts to explain the types of waqf-based educational institutions in Malaysia. At the same time, this study also presents the reasons for the existence of such forms of waqf-based educational institutions in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach: The data and information for this study were gathering from library resources. Document analysis was use in examining and interpreting written or textual materials to gain insights and understandings about a particular topic, phenomenon, or research question. Findings: This study concludes, Waqf education in Malaysia refers to the establishment and management of educational institutions and programs through the utilization of waqf funds. Waqf education plays a significant role in supporting educational initiatives and ensuring sustainable funding for educational institutions especially in Islamic-based education. Various types of waqf are established to serve different purposes and cater to the diverse needs of the community in Malaysia. Practical implications: Efforts should be made to raise awareness and educate the community about the importance of waqf in education. Originality/value: Waqf education serves as a catalyst for personal, social, and economic development, creating a positive impact on individuals, communities, and societies. It promotes educational inclusivity, fosters moral values, drives socioeconomic empowerment, and contributes to the overall well-being and progress of society. Keywords: Waqf Education, Traditional Education Institution, Islamic Education Institution, Waqf Al-Tadris, Introduction In Malaysia, waqf or endowments are categorized into special (Waqf khas) and general (Waqf am) endowments, with contemporary terms introduced to attract endower interest (Mohd. Ali, 2019). Waqf am [...]

Propose: This research determines the impacts of activity ratio towards company's performance in healthcare industries that are listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange. Five independent variables used in this study are Total Assets Turnover (TATO), Fixed Assets Turnover (FATO), Working Capital Turnover (WCTO), Receivables Turnover (RTO), Inventory Turnover (ITO). The dependent variable used in this study is a company's financial performance which is measured by Return on Assets (ROA) and Net Profit Margin (NPM). Design/methodology/approach: A total of 25 companies with complete data from the healthcare industries have been chosen. This study used secondary data derived from the financial statements over 6 years from 2017 - 2021. The data has been analyzed by using regression analysis in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Finding: The findings revealed that TATO, ITO, FATO have no impact towards ROA while RTO and WCTO have impact towards ROA. However, all variables have an impact on a company's performance that is measured by NPM. Practical implications: The paper recommends that companies pay attention to asset management and profitability ratios to improve their performance, and investors should consider these factors when investing in healthcare companies. Keywords: Activity Ratio, Firm's Performance, Healthcare Industries, Regression Analysis, Introduction The research was conducted to determine the impact of activity ratios towards company's performance in Singapore healthcare industry. In a globalizing world, firms have faced fierce competition among themselves, [...]

Purpose: This study examine, from an Islamic standpoint, the problems and difficulties that single mother encounter with regard to their mental health. First among the study's goals is figuring out what influences single mothers mental health. Second, consider the detrimental effects that mental health issues have on children and single mothers. The third goal is to provide Islamically based solutions for the mental health issues faced by single mothers. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews have been used to gather information from single mothers and professional opinions in a particular field. Survey respondents distributed multiple semi-structured questionnaires and conducted interviews with community members using a straightforward sampling technique. Ten Melaka single mothers were interviewed. The director of the Social Welfare Department, the Director of the Office of Women's Development, and a syarie lawyer also being interviewed. In addition primary and secondary data in the form of documents, correspondence, official archives, and surveys where gathered from related departments. Findings: The study's findings revealed that the single mother had to deal with a number of difficulties, such as financial stress, lack of social support, career-family conflict, low quality of life and daily routine disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are five mental health consequences for single moms: depression, anxiety, stress, low self-esteem and social isolation. From an Islamic perspective, this study revealed multiple solutions to address the mental health issues faced by single mother and improve their mental well-being. Research limitations/implications: This study comprises limited number of respondent in the analysis. Practical implications: The Islamic strategies that being suggested would enable single mother to achieve healthy mental wellbeing. Originality/value: This study covering strategies to enhance mental well being of single mother from Islamic perspective. Keywords: mental well-being, single mother, preliminary review, issues and challenges, Islam, Introduction Single mothers are a group of women who face various challenges and pressures in their lives, especially in economic, social, and emotional terms. They have to take on the [...]

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic situation worldwide has caused many schools and institutions of higher learning to switch to fully online teaching and learning, including Malaysia. The sudden switch from offline learning to online learning is causing challenges for academicians and students. Therefore, the study aims to investigate the factors affecting the university students' transition from offline to online learning by using push-pull-mooring theory to explain the switching behavior. Design/methodology/approach: The study is cross-sectional and focuses on university students who switched from physical to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a correlational research design using a quantitative research method. Convenience sampling will be used for quick and cost-effective data collection. The sample size of 119 will be chosen using G*Power to ensure adequate statistical power and avoid issues associated with a small sample size. Research limitations/implications: This paper is a conceptual paper without having the findings to be shared. The study relies on self-reported data that will be collected through questionnaires, which may be subject to response bias and social desirability bias. Additionally, the research focuses exclusively on Malaysian Public University students, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to a broader population. Furthermore, the study assumes that the push-pull-moorings theory comprehensively covers all factors influencing switching behavior, potentially overlooking other relevant variables. The cross-sectional design of the study also restricts the ability to establish causality and track changes over time. Finally, while convenience sampling expedites data collection, it may introduce selection bias, as it may not accurately represent the entire student population. These limitations should be taken into account when interpreting and applying the research findings. Practical implications: The findings of this study shall provide deep insight point of view from student perspective how they feel on online and offline learning. This study may also contribute to a better alliance of formal and informal support systems in education field. Moreover, the research output will contribute significantly not only to the corpus of knowledge as an understanding to the importance of comprehensive context towards the determination of the best factor in online and offline study. The recommendations to be developed at the end of the research will be a list of factors that can be considered by the government in gearing ideas in developing comprehensive strategies towards applying the best practice for Malaysia education. This will also allow for policy advise and reform suggestions to further strengthen the Malaysian education. Originality/value: The research on university students' offline-to-online learning switching behavior utilizing the push-pull-mooring theory holds significant originality and value in the field of education and behavioral psychology. By focusing on Malaysian Public University students, the research offers a unique cultural perspective, potentially uncovering nuances in switching behavior that may differ from other regions. Overall, this research adds valuable knowledge to the ongoing discourse on educational adaptability and contributes to the enhancement of learning environments in the digital age. Keywords: Offline learning, online learning, switching behavior, push factor, pull factor, moor factor, Introduction In year 2019 world has been outbreak with the virus of COVID-19. World Health Organization (WHO) has declared COVID-19 as a pandemic which has badly affected the global economy. [...]

During Covid-19 outbreaks, university students were reported to be at heightened risk of having psychological distress and mental health difficulties. The outbreak of Covid-19 has had a great impact on the learning of university students. Students were unable to focus on their studies, felt anxious about their studies, lacked confidence in their studies, and made more mistakes than usual. Hence, this study has a two-fold objective: (1) identify the factors associated with mental well-being among university students; and (2) investigate the relationship between mental well-being and coping styles among university students. A cross-sectional correlational study was carried out among final year students in one of the public university in Malaysia. Data was collected within 3-months starting from October to December 2021 through an online survey via Google form that was randomly sent to the respective respondents. The obtained data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 26. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. A total of 314 data were valid in analysis. The data analysis indicated that academic workload, family support, and financial issues predicting depression among the university students. Furthermore, the association between religion and spiritual coping style is the only indicator of depression. The study findings may be useful in improving the mental well-being of university students. Efficient and effective coping strategies in dealing with stress, anxiety and even depression need more investigation in future studies. Keywords: Academic workload, coping styles, financial issues, mental well-being, Introduction The Covid-19 outbreak was first reported to the World Health Organization on December 31, 2019, and was officially declared a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, [...]

Purpose: This paper presents a case study exploring the extent to which the BIM contract language supplements the existing contract system employed in the Malaysian construction industry. The following categories of BIM-based contractual issues were assessed: collaboration strategy and facility management-BIM in the construction process. Design/methodology/approach: The intention of this research was to explore BIM execution within the D-B procurement system. Hence, qualitative research was conducted since this study aimed to attain a thorough comprehension of the examined phenomena, whereby the researcher attempted to explore the respondents' perceptions and opinions regarding the topic discussed in this study and aimed to discover new thoughts and individual views. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with relevant BIM project team members followed by project document reviews using data triangulation Findings: The analysis results have answered the research question, whereby the findings from the case studies suggest that BIM-based construction projects that it is crucial to include collaboration and communication amongst construction stakeholders as a key concept to ensure an effective BIM execution. It can cause construction stakeholders to possess high efficiency in communication, which surpasses the level in traditional practice. Research limitations/implications: The initial coding framework was based on data from a literature review and condensed different possible risk factors into categories based on previous respondents' experiences. However, this method only provides one viewpoint and interpretation within the context of the study, which means there may be discrepancies between the authors' understanding and actual experiences of the respondents. Practical implications: This study was analysed to find the practical implications of implementing BIM, especially those concerning the development of a contract form which represents the integration of BIM and facility management (FM). Moreover, in order to pick up the industry's perspective on the recommended approaches, a document study was performed on a number of key governments and industry publications primarily around Malaysia. Originality/value: There is a significant impact on the manner project stakeholders collaborate and the possible contractual challenges arising due to any disagreements that occur. Thus, it is imperative to understand BIM's functionality, and how it helps a project, which can possibly enable the vital foundations forming the applicable contractual context. Nonetheless, limited investigations have been conducted and most did not examine industry-wide trends in validating BIM content models by critically aligning BIM functionality with various contractual, consequently contributing originality of the present paper. Keywords: Construction Industry, Building Information Modelling, Procurement, Contracts, Introduction The construction and facilities management industries are experiencing an increasing demand for tracking and utilizing data related to building projects and maintenance. The operation and maintenance (O&M) phase of [...]

Purpose: This paper intends to establish conceptual frameworks and propose groundwork for empirical research in identifying factors that influence consumers' intention and adoption of parcel lockers. A conceptual framework was developed based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) construct, i.e., effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social influence, and facilitating condition. In addition, this study also seeks to propose the role of resistance to change in moderating the relationship between intention and adoption of parcel locker. Methodology: The methodology used in this article is a literature review and conceptualisation of how UTAUT constructs could influence the intention and adoption of Malaysian consumers on the use of parcel lockers as last-mile delivery services. Thus, this paper used a conceptual approach that reviewed the article from journals, conference papers, and theses. Dimensions and measurements of the variables in this investigation were derived from previous studies and suggestions. Findings: The expected findings of this study were to determine the most important factors contributing to the intention and adoption of parcel lockers among Malaysian consumers. Therefore, the relevant companies and government agencies can improve services and meet the needs and preferences of consumers to utilise parcel lockers, thereby expanding parcel locker usage in the future. Research limitations/implications: The quantitative technique will be employed for this study, limiting researchers' ability to investigate beyond the factors that will be investigated. Practical implications: The findings are expected to be useful to several parties, including courier companies, the government, and online sellers, in terms of future planning to increase the intention and adoption of parcel lockers in Malaysia. Originality/value: This study proposed a conceptual framework for the factors affecting the intention and adoption of parcel lockers service, specifically in the Malaysian context. Keywords: Last-mile delivery, Automated parcel locker, E-commerce, Intention, Adoption, Introduction Year after year, e-commerce has seen a substantial surge in online purchases and has become widely accepted. E-commerce has dramatically changed businesses, especially for young people, developing countries, and [...]

Purpose: The main purpose of this paper is to determine the current trend of study in innovative last-mile delivery and the factors that influence consumers' behaviour in innovative last-mile delivery. Design/methodology/approach: This systematic literature review is guided by established guidelines and covers six important steps in the methodology: verification of established guidelines, creation of research questions, searching strategy (the process of identification, screening and eligibility) on a few reputable databases such as Scopus, Web of Science and also Google Scholar, continued with data appraisal, data extraction and data analysis. Research articles between 2017 and 2021 were gathered based on the selected keywords and inclusion criteria. Findings: The findings revealed that most of the studies emphasised the antecedents of the initial use of innovative last-mile delivery. Intention emerged as the main dependent variable in many studies, followed by preferences, attitudes, and other variables. Meanwhile, the significant independent variable is from different factors such as technical factors, socio-economic factors, delivery factors, and others. In terms of the theory, the theory of planned behaviour was widely used in the selected studies compared to other theories. Research limitation/implication: Through a rigorous systematic literature review, this study depicts the gaps in the studies of consumer behaviour toward innovative last-mile delivery. Practical Implications: This study contributes to a deeper understanding of consumers' behavioural towards innovative last-mile delivery. The findings of this study are valuable not only to scholars but also to logistics practitioners and policymakers. This study could help guide the company and related agencies in increasing the intention and adoption of innovative last-mile delivery and successfully implementing new last-mile delivery solutions. Originality/value: To the best of author's knowledge, little effort has been devoted to systematising the literature on consumer behavioral toward innovative last-mile delivery. This research helps to close this gap. Keywords: E-commerce, Last-Mile Delivery, Innovation, Consumers Behaviour, Systematic Literature Review, Introduction In the era of e-commerce, it is common for people to purchase goods and services online. Globally more than two billion consumers bought products and services online in 2020, [...]

The increasing fatality report of road accident in Malaysia is alarming over the last 10 years. The significant increase of private transportation possession especially in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur proven the significant relationship with the increase of road accidents between 2009 and 2018. Many programs have been carried out to address concerns on increasing traffic accidents under massive national plans throughout the nation. National Key Economic Area under a program called National Transport Policy, MRT project was introduced to strengthen the continuous effort for public transport sustainability. Nevertheless, since the launch of MRT until today, average ridership has not reached its target. Lack of research on the behavioral intention particularly towards the utilization of MRT in Malaysia provide an opportunity to empirically explore this in Malaysian context. The focus of this research was to determine the relationship between independent variable (timeliness) towards dependent variable (intention to use). Five hundred (500) questionnaires were distributed at selected MRT station around Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Respondent was frequent user of MRT service and those commute on daily basis. Data were analyzed using SPSS version. Findings indicated that result for direct effect revealed significant in relationship between timeliness with intention to use thus hypothesis is accepted. The results proofed MRT service play important role as part of the transportation channel towards the target group with the direct impact contribution of timeliness as determinant factors of preference. Keywords: MRT Services, Intention to Use, Timeliness, Behavioral study., Introduction Public transport describe as transportation means which are provided by the government to the public citizen, involve such as bus, subway, taxi, train, ferry as well as railways (Yusoff [...]

With the proposed rural revitalization strategy, China is implementing the tasks related to rural revitalization. The development of county-level e-commerce has a facilitating role in promoting county-level economic development to realize rural revitalization. This paper analyzes the practical significance of county-level e-commerce for precise poverty alleviation by examining the existing literature and economic growth theories. By using qualitative analysis on county-level e-commerce and economic growth, three effective paths for developing county-level e-commerce are explored, namely: branding and developing sales channels; strengthening government leadership and establishing incentives; and actively carrying out e-commerce training to help the county's economic development. Keywords: County e-commerce; Economic Growth; Rural Revitalization., Introduction Information technology innovation is changing rapidly in today's world, and the wave of information characterized by digitization, networking, and intelligence is flourishing. Global informationize has entered a new stage [...]

This research focuses on the impact of social media on consumer decision making, on how different social media aspects can affect consumers' way of thinking and decision making. The evolution of social media plays an important role in the overall decision-making process of the consumer as it has revolutionized the way people think, feel about, and consume things. Social media interaction is the most important method of shaping the decision of people and knowing what they feel and want from the business. The social media channels involve the content creations by the audience apart from that generated by the publishing houses or the media companies and even the social media channel such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. This research explored how social media interactions play a significant role in consumer decision-making with a scope of Saudi Arabia user. With a total population of 35.08mil (GMI,2022), 27.08 million, or 79.25% are active social media users, either for personal or commercial usage through its' posting on their favorite types of content. Businesses can use this research paper to learn how the population of Saudi Arabia interacts on social media and how businesses can create strategies that appealing to customers' habits. A quantitative approach research questionnaires is developed to explore the relationship between social media interaction and consumer decision-making by using different dimensions of social media interactions. The purpose of this preliminary study is to determine the reliability and validity of the instrument used and feasible for full-scale analysis of the studied phenomenon. PLS-SEM is employed in this preliminary study with seventy-five respondents from a few regions has been selected to response on the questionnaires through simple random sampling method. The result of PLS-SEM analysis on the measurement model had showed a robust analysis of internal reliability and validity. Assessment of items and constructs included in the study exhibits a good internal consistency and valid, thus, reflects an acceptable research model that are feasible and ready a full-scale analysis. Keywords: Social Media, Social Media Interactions, Consumer Decision Making, PLS-SEM, Saudi Arabia, Introduction Social media is the online communication medium on which we can interact with each other, share content, and get the information from. (Sony Varghese, 2021). There has been tremendous [...]

Competing in the new era of business that is characterized as highly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, mobile telecommunication companies need to offer competitive products with competitive price. Since telecommunication services are quite synonymous, it is quite difficult to outperform others especially in the service offering. Having consumers who are willing to engage in extra role behaviour; i.e. word-of-mouth promotion, is regarded as an advantage for the company. The present study is undertaken to investigate factors that contribute to users' word-of-mouth promotion pertaining to telecommunication services. Data were collected from 405 telecommunication post-paid and prepaid users using online survey throughout Malaysia using convenience sampling technique. However, using factor analysis and normality test, the data collected were valid and representative of the population. Based on the results of multiple regression analysis, service quality, service availability and promotional packages play significant roles in determining users' word-of-mouth promotion. Price was found to be a non-significant predictor of users' word-of-mouth promotion. There are two main implications of the findings; first, mobile telecommunication service providers should focus on these three factors to promote their services to bigger audience. Second, price should not be used as a basis to compete with others since users do not consider price as an important factor that influences users' positive word-of-mouth promotion. Keywords: service quality; service availability; promotional package; price; word-of-mouth, ambassador, Introduction Conducting businesses in the present market condition characterized as volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous requires organizations to not only satisfy customers but also engage them so that they are [...]

Over the past decade, medical tourism has been growing progressively in developing countries of Eastern Europe, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Middle East. This paper aims to conceptually understand medical tourists' (or consumers) intentional behaviour to destined countries of their choice within the 'Halal' (Permissible) medical tourism sector. It specifically attempts to explore factors influencing their intention towards a preferred destination for sourcing shariah compliance based medical care services. Using an in-depth interview technique, a total of 15 qualitative data were collected from targeted respondents involved in medical-care tourism related activities via a digital voice tape recorder; transcribing and coding processes were carried out using ATLAS.TI software. Initial findings have shown several themes that were grounded in the designated semi- structured questions such as attitude, subjective norm, behavioural control, destination image, religiosity, and cost. The results revealed significant suggestions and opinions from the participants on the potential adoption of 'Halal' medical destination choice behaviour. Several managerial implications were further discussed. Keywords: Intention, Destination Choice Behaviour, Religiosity, Theory of Planned Behaviour, Halal, Medical Tourism., Introduction The awareness of medical tourism sectors has been increasingly explored for its economic contribution by both researchers and industry experts for the last decade (Hadian, Jabbari, Mousavi, & Sheikh [...]

This study looked at attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioural (PB) that contribute to employee behaviour intentions to work from home (WFH) at Canon Mailcom Malaysia, Bukit Jelutong. 129 respondents were able to take part using the convenience sample approach, and the data was analysed using Smart PLS 3.0. The findings show that there is a significant relationship between attitude as well as perceived behaviour with employee behavioural intention to work from home. However, no significant relationship was found between social norms and behavioural intention. The findings do provide insight into employee behaviour, and it is vital that the organisation take further initiative to assure the success of the organisational change when an unavoidable scenario such as a pandemic occurs. In order to stimulate further research in this topic, the researcher gave numerous recommendations for future researchers to improve their understanding of employee preparation and behavioural intention on organisational transformation. Keywords: Theory of Planned Behaviour, Behaviour, Attitude, Social Norms, Perceived Behaviour, Behavioural Intention., Introduction The communication and technological revolutions have changed every element of social life. A new economy built on the Internet and characterised by the significance of information technology and globalization [...]

Competition among private universities in Malaysia seems to be getting fierce and tough. The number of service providers increased, which provides more advantages to the students. Students have more bargaining power due to ample choices and options before deciding. This study measures three independent factors: brand awareness, brand image and perceived brand quality of higher education institutes toward student choices for enrolment. Three hypotheses were developed to measure a direct relationship between the variables toward student intentions to register. Data were collected among the new students from the private universities within Klang valley. 5 Likert scales were used to measure respondents' feedback. The results revealed that all three aspects positively influenced the intention to register. Such development will contribute to the world of academics in understanding the student's preferences and evaluating the education providers. The result could be used as a guideline for the marketing teams in preparing their marketing strategy. Keywords: Brand image, Brand awareness, private universities, Introduction Securing a place at a tertiary institution is a big step in advancing one's education. About half a million students graduate high school yearly (Sani, 2020). Most will begin [...]

The roles and responsibilities of academicians are becoming more challenging and closely tied to the central functions of higher education; not only to teach, but also involve in doing research, publication, consultation, as well as administrative work for their respective higher education institutions. As academicians are the major human capital resources of a university, thus, their satisfaction or dissatisfaction is important for the improvement and effectiveness of the higher education system. When academicians are highly satisfied, they are less likely to leave the organization and tend to become more innovative and motivated to maintain a conducive learning environment. Guided by Frederick Herzberg Two Factor Theory (1959), this correlational study attempted to examine the relationship between job stress, work-life balance, quality of work life, and job satisfaction among the academicians in one public university in Malaysia. Questionnaire was used as the main instrument. A total of 200 questionnaires were distributed online to the academicians through convenience sampling technique. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between factors of job satisfaction (job stress, work-life balance, and quality of work life) and job satisfaction. This study found that there was no significant relationship between job stress and job satisfaction. It also found that there was no significant relationship between work-life balance and job satisfaction. However, the researcher found that there was a strong significant relationship between quality of work life and job satisfaction. In conclusion, the management needs to provide a high quality of work life to its employees for it to become an employer of choice as well as a great organization to work for. Keywords: Job Satisfaction, Job Stress, Work-life Balance, Quality of Work Life, Introduction Malaysia, as one of the United Nations Member States, is adopting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which were set in 2015. The fourth SDG, which is Quality Education, [...]

Purpose: This study systematically reviews how social media impacts the performance of small-medium enterprises (SMEs) and recommends an agenda for future research. Design/methodology/approach: This study reviewed and evaluated research articles published through the Scopus database, focusing on social media and SMEs' performance from 2011-to 2021. Findings: This research identified previous research by analysing the theory applied, construct involved, type of social media, used methods, type of business, and location of studies. Research limitations/implications: This research only reviews using TITLE-ABS-KEY search features in the Scopus database as trusted sources in terms of quality and impact factors by researchers worldwide. The keywords used are social media, SMEs, and performance. Practical implications: SMEs can use social media to enhance business performance, as supported in this research. Originality/value: This research proposes future research avenues for social media and SMEs performance, hopefully enriching the literature. Keywords: social media; SMEs performance; systematic literature review., Introduction The existence of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has promoted a country's economic and industrial growth (Hossain & Kauranen, 2016), especially during the depression-like Covid-19 pandemic (Ebrahimi et al., [...]

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the factors influencing users' behavioral intentions in adopting mobile health services in China by using UTAUT (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology) model and PMT (Protection Motivation Theory) theory. Accordingly, a unified model combining technology acceptance theory and health behavior theory is developed. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the UTAUT model as the basic theoretical framework, this paper proposes hypotheses and research models, and discusses various factors that influence the behavior intention of Chinese users to adopt mobile health services from the perspective of ordinary users. This study uses the questionnaire survey method to collect relevant samples in Zaozhuang City, Shandong Province, China, using online questionnaires and on-site distribution. Findings: It is expected that finding from the study would be beneficial to medical institutions and service providers develop mobile health products that are more suitable for the Chinese market and Chinese users and provide basis and data support for the formulation of regulatory policies by government departments, and contribute to the informatization of health services. Originality/value: This study proposes an extended theoretical model based on UTAUT model and integrating PMT theory to explore the factors affecting users' willingness to adopt mobile health in China from technology acceptance theory and health behavior theory. Therefore, the extended model has greater prediction ability. It is an extension of UTAUT's relevant dimensions in the study of mobile health users' adoption intention. Keywords: Mobile health, PMT, UTAUT, Adoption, Introduction Mobile Health has been recognized by the WHO as an effective way to manage health (Consulting, 2014). Mobile health service is a relatively broad concept. The Healthcare Information and [...]

Purpose: Income inequality issue becomes as vital agenda to deal with, especially for developing countries. In the presence of huge income inequality in most developing countries, solutions are certainly welcome. Theoretically, remittances have the potential to address the issue of income inequality, whereby bigger size of remittances may promote a sizeable decrease in income inequality. Indeed, the main objective of this study is to investigate the contribution of remittances in alleviating income inequality in developing countries. This study also analyzes the moderating effect of entrepreneurship, rural development and infrastructure on remittances-income inequality relationship in developing countries. Design/methodology/approach: A dynamic panel estimator is applied to examine remittances-income inequality nexus, given the Generalized Method of Moment (GMM) method. This study utilizes the data from 2009 until 2017 and covers 47 developing countries. Findings: The findings of remittances reveal that they are unlikely helpful to reduce income inequality. Nonetheless, its desired role can be achieved if the recipients among the poor can allocate more for entrepreneurship activities as well as supported by better rural development and infrastructure. Due to that, this study believed that if government can design effective policy to guidance the recipients of remittances to fully maximize the usage not purely for daily one-off consumption, but also to include life-standard enhancing activities, mainly through entrepreneurship, rural development and infrastructure, income inequality can be lowered. Research limitations/implications: In general, this study may serve as a stepping stone for further empirical work regarding the income inequality issue. This study believes that the insignificant effect of remittances on income inequality could be due to the fact that low level of remittances flows in developing countries and also poor utilization of the money among the poor. Alternatively, it is important to promote and enhance more remittances flows in developing countries. Practical implications: As part of the strategies to uncover the true impact of remittances, this study also has highlighted the moderating role of entrepreneurship, rural development and infrastructure. This study finds that the presence of remittances will decrease income inequality by increasing entrepreneurship, rural development and infrastucture. Originality: In this study, the potential solutions factor is proposed to address the issue of income inequality, known as remittances. More importantly, this study also suggests that remittances can be more effective in combating income inequality if the strategies are also combined with productive entrepreneurship activities and appropriate rural development and infrastructure in creating more economic opportunities. Keywords: Remittances, income inequality, entrepreneurship, rural development and infrastructure, developing countries, dynamic panel data., Introduction The important of fair income distribution in assisting economic development is crucial in act as the primary drivers for economic growth (World Bank, 2013a; Ostry et al., 2014; Rose [...]

Purpose: This paper aims to ascertain the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) on Malaysian banking institutions and financial services. Design/methodology/approach: The study examined 24 firms from the banking institution and financial services obtained from DataStream. The study used OLS, random effect and fixed effect analysis with robust standard error. To ensure robust result, the study uses two stages lease square to solve for potential endogeneity concerns. Findings: The finding reveals that ESG increase firm value significantly in all analysis. The study also discovered that social pillar score negatively moderates ESG and firm value. Research limitations/implications: The data is only limited to Malaysia's banking institution and financial services. Thus the results may not be extrapolated into other industries. Practical implications: A manager should promote the ESG agenda to obtain a better firm valuation among investors, especially those concerned with the ESG agenda. Originality/value: By applying the perspective from social norm theory, the study shows that empowering social responsibility disclosure (create positive credibility to investors) significantly adds value within banking institutions and financial services firms in Malaysia. The study also discovered that the social pillar has a significant moderating effect on ESG and firm value relationships. Keywords: ESG, firm value, Malaysia, banking institution, and financial services., Introduction Even though the concept of ESG or Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) was established a long time, the impact of ESG has only recently been noticeable in Malaysia (The [...]

Purpose: This study aims to systematically summarize the factors relating to Student Satisfaction (SS) with Service Quality (SQ) from the literature. Design/methodology/approach: This study analyse and systematically examines sixteen most relevant to keywords peer-reviewed research articles, spanning five years from 2017 to 2021, and summarizes the factors that influence SS with SQ. Findings: The review of the literature reveals that the literature on SS and SQ constitutes all the empirical research literature. The most influential factors are SQ, Perceived Value, Student Loyalty, Trust, and Word-of-Mouth. After the COVID-19 outbreak, all empirical research on SS and SQ combined with e-learning instruction in 2021. Research limitations/implications: Limited by the availability of literature on SS with SQ, this review summarizes the available work for academics and organizations to leverage this knowledge and target only SS with SQ. Additionally, the review emphasizes the research opportunities available to researchers interested in furthering studies in this field. Practical implications: The conclusions of this review may assist future researchers in better understanding the elements driving SS and complexities and determining the optimal technique for maximizing the SS effect. Originality/value: The study summarizes the factors that influence SS with SQ. Keywords: Loyalty, Perceived Value, Student Satisfaction, Service Quality, Trust, Word-of-Mouth, Introduction According to Lin et al. (2008), the ultimate objective of any product or service is satisfaction. Satisfaction is a perception that substantially impacts the quality of service, loyalty, perceived [...]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to highlight the management of strategic action plan (SAP) in supporting the achievement of the university to achieve the targeted goal of becoming a globally renowned university by 2025. Design/methodology/approach: The project management process is equipped through initiation, planning, execution, monitoring & control and closing. University Electronic Programme Management Office (UePMO) SAP Online system was developed to facilitate registration and monitoring the progress of the entire SAP projects of this mega university. Findings: Strategic Action Plans (SAP) were mapped to 128 Performance Indicators (PI) and 144 Key Initiatives (KI). Planning and monitoring 1356 strategic action plan projects from all 9 lead directors (206 projects), 20 faculties (760 projects), and 13 campuses (390 projects) can be carried out more efficiently by using UePMO and Power BI tools. Research limitations/implications: Measurement of risk and focus on mitigation plan will further enhance this study. Practical implications: The results of this study can be used as a framework for higher learning institutions for project management. Originality/value: This strategic action plan framework is the first in Malaysia. Keywords: University, Strategic Action Plan, Project Management, Introduction Strategic planning with clear objectives, responsibilities, and milestones is essential to ensure the success of a particular project (Broke & Lippe, 2015). A clear goal, vision, and mission are [...]

Purpose: This paper discusses measures relevant to ensuring academic integrity and assessment security with an example of a university's final evaluation using online assessment. Academic integrity issues include the student's awareness of honesty and trustworthiness in their study and the severe consequences of malpractices. Whereas, assessment security involves evaluating features to prevent any attempts to deceive and practices to deal with any misconduct. Design/methodology/approach: Evaluation attempt data of 271 students in online assessment is analyzed to investigate any pattern of malpractice and security issues of current online assessment implementation. It is necessary to discover these security issues in the current context of most sought assessment implementation. Findings: The measures revealed that the problems and challenges continue to persist, such as difficulties in identifying cheat contracts, difficulties to avoid help and contacts with peers and outsiders, lack of awareness and responsibility in online learning and assessment, and availability of access to online content and assessment. Research limitations/implications: Three main stakeholders of higher learning institutions play a crucial role in ensuring academic integrity and assessment security in digital assessment. With the help of technology, institutions have certain instrument and tools to ensure the integrity and security of digital assessment using proctoring tools to authenticate students' identities and validate their responses. Students are trained with high moral and ethical conduct to stimulate students' right attitudes and awareness of permissiveness standards in society. Consistently, instructors are required to encounter academic dishonesty to paraphrase the digital assessment, provide plenty questions and do not depend wholly on available resources Practical implications: Online learning is very much relevant in the era of digital education, especially in a hard time, such as during a pandemic outbreak where face to face learning is not possible. The digital assessment requires educators to verify that students have completed their work in the evaluation, and these reported examples raise concerns related to academic integrity and assessment security issues. Originality/value: This research is among the limited studies that address the assessment security featuring real experiences to prevent any attempts to deceive in digital assessment and practices to deal with any misconduct. Keywords: Online learning, Digital Assessment, Cheating, Academic Integrity, Assessment Security, Introduction Online learning is very much relevant in the era of digital education, especially in a hard time, such as during a pandemic outbreak where face to face is not [...]

Purpose - The paper aims to examine the criteria needed to manage hardcopy maps in a library archive. The criteria are essential to highlight the best practice in managing the hardcopy maps, conserving, and preserving the maps' physical conditions and materials. Design/methodology/approach - Since there are limited sources for applicable maps archive guidelines, the best and standard practices are vital to be developed for the library at Perpustakaan Tun Abdul Razak (PTAR) Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam, Selangor in dealings with hardcopy maps and ensuring the materials are ready to be served either in a physical or digital environment. The research approach investigates the current situation at PTAR, National Archive of Malaysia (NAM), National Library of Malaysia (NLM) and Department of Surveying Mapping Malaysia (DSMM) by conducting an interview and site visits. Findings - Therefore, essential criteria for managing hardcopy maps are created based on previous studies, including the local policy mapping documents such as the NAM and NLM. Practical implications--In general, the paper proposed 15 essential criteria that able to be as a guideline in managing the hardcopy map storage, especially for library archive level. Consequently, the guidelines also are agreed upon by PTAR and prepared to be used in a future project for hardcopy map storage. Originality/value - This study has suggested the best criteria to be practiced in the library, containing better security, room temperature, effective cataloguing system, and systematic preservation. By applying these proposed criteria, PTAR would benefit from better managing the hardcopy map resources and towards the realization of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) in the University. Research limitations--The paper presents findings from the interview and previous studies and guidelines in managing hardcopy maps. These findings should be further explored with other library institutions, especially worldwide, to compare in detail their guideline implementations. Since the study was also conducted during pandemic Covid-19, a lot of interactions, interviews, discussions, and meetings are implemented through online platforms such as emails and Google Meet. Keywords: Hardcopy Maps, Library Archive, Perpustakaan Tun Abdul Razak PTAR, Storage Criteria Paper type: Research Paper, Introduction Academic libraries have always been the depositories of their universities intellectual content in terms of informational materials such as theses, dissertations, research reports, student's projects, and the various published [...]

Purpose: To examine how digital learning orientation, e-learning self-efficacy, and support systems affect innovative behaviour among undergraduate students. Innovative behaviour is the academics' challenge in which previous research found that students' creativity in constructing sustainable institutions is affected by their digital learning orientation, self-efficacy, and support system. Design/methodology/approach: Respondents were selected using stratified and purposive sampling in order to get as diverse respondents to match the complexity. Findings: A total of 362 questionnaires were collected from the respondents and were usable for further analysis. The findings showed a significant influence of digital learning orientation, self-efficacy, and support system on behavioural intention. Research limitations/implications: This study involved only one undergraduate program. It is recommended that future research could employ other programs and at the different educational levels. Besides, it is also crucial to investigate the other individual and environmental mechanisms that act as antecedents of innovative behaviour, particularly in the educational sector. Practical implications: This study can be served as a guideline for the management of higher education in designing strategies and policies for the implementation of online distance learning. Originality/value: Higher education has changed significantly due to COVID-19. Academicians and students are experiencing difficulties with the sudden switch from physical learning to online distance learning. The studies exploring the associations between digital learning orientation, e-learning self-efficacy, support systems and innovative behaviour are limited. Keywords: Innovative Behaviour, Digital Learning Orientation, Self-Efficacy, Support System, Undergraduate Students, Introduction As the COVID-19 pandemic spikes, there is a huge trend toward online learning education as a result of the unspecified closure of schools, colleges, and universities as the only [...]

Purpose: Using a sample of Malaysian firms operating in carbon-intensive industries, this study examines the moderating effect of firm size and age on ISO 14001:2015 certification and firm financial performance (FFP) nexus. Design/methodology/approach: Panel data regression analysis analyses 1,174 firm-year observations from 237 listed firms from 2016 to 2020. Findings: The study provides evidence that adopting ISO 14001:2015 helps firms improve their financial performance. Furthermore, the firm size and age minimise the detrimental effect of this certification on FFP. Research limitations/implications: The study only spans five years, used a dummy variable to measure ISO 14001:2015 certification, and merely considered firm size and age as the moderating variables on ISO 14001:2015 certification and FFP nexus. Practical implications: The ISO 14001:2015 certification provides a financial benefit for the firms and hints investors that investing in an environmentally friendly firm is a wise strategic choice. Originality/value: This study investigate the impact of the adoption of ISO 14001:2015 by high-polluting sectors in Malaysia on financial performance using accounting and market-based performance indicators and examining the moderating role of firm size and age on this relationship. Paper type: Research paper Keywords: Carbon-intensive industries, Environment management system, Financial performance, ISO 14001, Market performance, Introduction The natural environment is facing unprecedented times because of increasing temperatures caused by carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, to which carbon-intensive industries contribute substantially (Cunanan, 2018; Grover, 2021). Firms in [...]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the longitudinal impacts of ISO 14001 adoption on corporate financial performance (FP) of Malaysian carbon-intensive firms. Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on a sample consisting of carbon-intensive firms listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia for the period 2010-2020. Accounting-based and market-based measures are used as indicators of FP and the relationship between ISO14001 adoption and FP is analysed using panel data regression analysis. Findings: The results show that ISO 14001 was not associated with accounting-based financial measures. Conversely, the direct relationship between ISO 14001 adoption and market-based financial measures showed significant results. Research limitations/implications: Findings contribute to the corpus of environmental management system and and financial performance literature. The paper highlights the effectiveness of ISO 14001 certification with respect to financial performance. Practical implications: This research has significant ramifications for distinct groups that have an interest in the company's commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Originality/value: The paper combines accounting-based and market-based indicators and examines the longitudinal impacts of ISO14001 on financial performance in the Malaysian context. Paper type: Research paper Keywords: Carbon emissions, Environmental standard, Environmental management system, ISO 14001, Financial performance, Market performance, Introduction Scientists agree that human activities are causing climate change. Thence, environmental responsibility has become an essential component of corporate social responsibility to reduce environmental impact (Petera et al., 2021). [...]

Purpose: Malaysia has been under fire for years for its treatment of foreign workers, whether legitimately or illegally. When the economy is in decline, the government's goal is to decrease the number of undocumented foreign workers by arresting them or threatening them with deportation; when the economy is steady, the government will find a method to increase worker entrance. Despite its popularity, no review article has been published on the subject of foreign worker safety and health measures. The purpose of this thematic review is to combine material from 2000 to 2021 that discusses foreign worker safety and health measures. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 191 peer-reviewed journal articles were found using a keyword search followed by a filter based on SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Hein Online inclusion criteria using ATLAS.ti 8. However, after the inclusion and exclusion procedure, only 38 papers were selected for evaluation. A thematic analysis of these 38 publications revealed 21 initial codes that discussed the safety and health of foreign workers. The codes were clustered into three categories; human rights, technology, and education. Findings: The findings contribute to future research on safety and health measures. Despite the criticism on the bad treatment of foreign workers, the Malaysian authority still preserves its sovereignty and does not succumb to public pressure but at the same time adhere to the Sustainable Development Goals focuses explicitly on labour rights protection and the promotion of healthy and secure working conditions for all employees, including migrant workers, particularly women migrants and those in hazardous professions. Research limitations/implications: The study identifies significant gaps in current knowledge about the safety and health measures applicable to foreign employees, especially in the construction sector and a further study should also consider the review on other sectors especially on manufacturing since both sectors recorded high industrial accident and fatality rate. The study of the literature may have overlooked any important articles that utilise other terminology. Practical implications: Employers should also play an important part in making sure that the safety and health measure of their foreign employees is adhering to the standard. This will also reduce direct costs, such as a rise in insurance claims and payouts. Other indirect costs to the employer include reduced productivity, quality, project delay, and non-conformance. Originality/value: This is the first time that the research on safety and health measures has been consolidated and reviewed for publication in this manner. Paper type: Literature review Keywords: Foreign worker, Migrant, Human rights, Technology, Education, Introduction The construction sector is one of the biggest on a global scale and is critical to a country's growth (Asif, 2016). The construction industry's significant contribution to Malaysia's economy [...]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigates the disclosure of reputation by focusing on the transparency of information disclosed in the corporate annual report of Malaysian public listed companies (PLCs). Design/methodology/approach: To achieve this, a content analysis is used to examine reputation disclosure in the annual report of Malaysian PLCs for the year 2018. The sample study comprises 83 PLCs. As a new proxy for the measurement of reputation, a disclosure index was developed and used in the current study. Findings: Items disclosed under leadership, workplace, and citizenship facet are the most popular and high ranked disclosed among Malaysian PLCs while item on the awards received is a least disclosed. Transparency is undeniably a powerful weapon for reputation. Studies show that higher disclosure improved the efficiency of financial markets and the information disclosed influences stakeholders' perceptions of the company's operations, reputation, and preservation of company identity. Research limitations/implications: The findings can be interpreted only across the targeted samples, covering a study period of one year. Practical implications: The findings imply that Malaysian PLCs relied on the precision of the corporate annual report function as a good medium to communicate with their stakeholders. They conceived that the greater transparency, the better reputation they will receive. Originality/value: The current study provides an insight into the literature journey by using the new reputation measurement to shed light on future investigations. Paper type: Research paper Keywords: Reputation disclosure, Transparency, Malaysian public limited companies, Introduction Organisations work in a world that is growing increasingly unpredictable, vague, complicated, and ambiguous. In this environment, reputation is undeniably a vital asset. Today, most of the organisation put [...]

Purpose: The main objective of this study is to compare the ESG implementations from an Asian capital market perspective. Design/methodology/approach: The current study spanned seven years from 2014 until 2020 across six Asian countries, namely Japan (197), Hong Kong (20), Singapore (27), Philippines (22), Taiwan (105) and Malaysia (56). The ESG implementations were represented by the ESG scores obtained based on the readily calculated ESG Disclosure Score from Bloomberg's database. The current study employed a rank-based nonparametric test of Kruskal-Wallis H in determining the possibility of significant differences that all the ESG scores indicators may vary in six countries Findings: The results indicate a significant difference exists for ENV_S, SOC_S, GOV_S and ESG_S and support all the postulated hypotheses. In terms of the highest commitment in implementing the ESG across Asian countries, Taiwan was denominated with the highest mean value of total ESG score and reporting the highest maximum score value by 80.99 compared to the others. Research limitations/implications: Due to data availability, analysis was done based on comparisons of only six Asian countries. Thus, the results might not be inconclusive in explaining the overall performance of ESG investment across the Asian region. Practical implications: Integrating the ESG factors into investment decision making might be one of the important stimuli towards long-term value creation across Asian future investment prospects. Originality/value: Current study analyses the ESG implementations across Asian countries by analysing the possibility of statistically significant differences in all the ESG scores indicators using the rank-based nonparametric test. Paper type: Research paper Keywords: Environment score, Social score, Governance score, Introduction The issues related to the area of sustainability, including environmental, social, and governance (ESG), are progressively being incorporated into corporate investment decisions across Asia. The interest of Asia investors, [...]

Purpose: Development of the industry in the form of collective investment has become an important factor in the Malaysian Financial System, especially the industry in the field of unit trusts. Islamic unit trusts prioritise quantitative and qualitative criteria set by Syariah guidelines. Waqf is a way to help the socio-economy development of the ummah and investment is an initiative to grow one's assets. This study displays a waqf model of Islamic unit trust that has been launched by PMB Investment Berhad (PMBI) to expand and sustain the existing waqf assets. Design/methodology/approach: This study was used a qualitative approach by focus group and web-based document to gain in-depth understanding of waqf mechanism that apply in unit trust investment and the benefits consist of asset or investment growth, investment protection via takaful coverage and charitable endowment under Islamic law (waqf). Findings: The result of this study found a new framework of unit trust waqf model that consist of three elements of waqf that contribute from income distribution, management fee and takaful protection. Research limitations/implications: The findings of the present study indicate that unit trust waqf concept are the important determinants on the sustainability of Waqf institutions with innovation instrument of investment to develop and sustain waqf assets. Practical implications: The findings of this study can help Islamic Fund Management company and unit trust industry to diversify and multiply new waqf funds with the privileges of waqf combine elements of investment and takaful. Originality/value: This framework is important in the process of helping and developing the socio-economy of the ummah and it can be used as a reference in efforts to further develop ideas and research on waqf by investment and takaful in the future. Paper type: Concept paper Keywords: Malaysia, Investment, Islamic unit trust, Unit trust waqf, Mutual fund, Syariah, Introduction Wakaf is not limited to traditional methods that only focus on immovable wakaf such as wakaf of land, cemeteries, mosque development, madrasah development and pondoks. In fact, it is [...]

Purpose: To examine the relationship between demographic factors and oral communication apprehension among students in Malaysian higher learning institutions. Design/methodology/approach: Questionnaires were distributed to students of two Malaysian higher learning institutions, which focused on demographics and oral communication apprehension. PRCA-24 is used as the measurement of oral communication apprehension based on five points Likert scale. Findings: Academic performance is negatively related to oral communication apprehension indicating that lower achiever students have greater oral communication apprehension than their counterparts. However, gender and year of study do not influence students' oral communication apprehension. Research limitations/implications: This study only use PRCA-24 as the measurement of communication apprehension and the samples covers two higher learning institutions. Perhaps, with other instruments and wider samples, the result would be more enhancing. Practical implications: Hope to benefit universities and professional bodies to overcome the oral communication apprehension among students as they are the future leaders. Originality/value: The findings contribute to literatures on whether demographic factors affect oral communication apprehension among students of higher learning institutions in Malaysia. Paper type: Research paper Keywords: Demographic factors, Oral communication apprehension, Students, Introduction Communication skills have become one of the crucial elements especially for undergraduates, both during their college or university time and for job applications. Effective presentation skills are important to [...]

Purpose: The present study aims to examine the perception of the Malaysian community towards the first moratorium during MCO 1.0 and the usage of this moratorium. Design/methodology/approach: This study was carried out using convenient sampling and the questionnaires were distributed via online distribution (Google form). SPSS statistical was used to analyse the result. Findings: The results discovered that the moratorium initiative was well received by the Malaysian community and moratorium money is used in the proper way by the recipients. Research limitations/implications: This study is recognised as a pre study that requires more elements to fully understand the nature of moratorium in Malaysia. Not like other studies, the current study analyses household usage towards the moratorium money received. Therefore, studies on similar veins should be conducted, which correspond with the introduction of a targeted moratorium in 2021 in line with the implementation of MCO 2.0 and MCO 3.0. Future research needs to expand the scope of the study. Practical implications: The results of the study provide important input related to the moratorium initiative which was first offered in Malaysia and the importance of this initiative to the Malaysian community. Originality/value: Moratorium recognised as the most significant initiative for survival of Malaysian society during pandemic COVID-19 which reflect consumer spending pattern. Paper type: Research paper Keywords: Moratorium, Movement control order, Usage direction, Malaysian, Introduction At the end of 2019, the world is besieged by an unexpected pandemic that is COVID-19. The pandemic, which is supposed to have begun in the province of Wuhan, [...]

Purpose: The aim of the study to develop Small Medium Enterprise Resilient Index (SMERi by integrating both tangible and intangible resources into the model. This index will be used to measure SMEs performance. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve these objectives, this study will conduct a focus group discussion (FGD), expert opinion interviews and a pilot study to validate the SMERi model. A study used a sample of 400 SMEs to test each component of SMERi model on SME's performance. A partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) will be used to analyse the data. Findings: At stage one, this study had collected four essential attributes for a proposed SMERi model consisting capital structure, entrepreneurship orientation, technology innovation orientation and market orientation. Research limitations/implications: The data that will be collected is limited to a delineation of virtual FGD and expert opinion interview which requires thoughtful and careful analysis. Practical implications: The outcome of this study is pertinent in complementing the Malaysian National Entrepreneurship Policy 2030 (DKN 2030) for the development of an inclusive and competitive entrepreneurial community, particularly the SME sector and expected to support dimension of economic empowerment in Twelfth Malaysia Plan (12MP), 2021-2025. Originality/value: This study will initiate a new model called SMERi model to measure the performance of Malaysian SMEs and help SMEs' chances of surviving the COVID-19 crisis. Paper type: Conceptual paper Keywords: COVID-19, SME Resilient Index, Tangible resources, Intangible resources, Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected most businesses, including Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). This unforeseen global phenomenon has raised concerns regarding SMEs' survival, especially the vulnerable sectors; for [...]