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Digital entrepreneurship intention among MBA students in Malaysia
Get PDFUnemployment is a pressing issue in most developing countries, particularly exacerbated by the labour market's incapability of absorbing a large number of graduate students. To address this problem, entrepreneurship has been identified as a useful tool. However, Malaysia's entrepreneurship ecosystem suffers from a clear gap, particularly in knowledge creation, product innovation, and technology absorption. With the emergence of digital technologies, a new form of entrepreneurship known as cyber/digital entrepreneurship has taken centre stage. This new approach focuses on the factors that affect entrepreneurial intention of students, particularly with the use of digital technologies. Despite this growing interest in digital entrepreneurship, there is still a lack of research on digital entrepreneurial intention. This study aims to investigate the impact of perceived knowledge of digital entrepreneurship on perceived desirability and feasibility elements, and whether it is necessary and sufficient to mediate the relationship between perceived knowledge and digital entrepreneurship intention. Data were collected from Malaysian MBA students using a cross-sectional study design, and the study hypotheses were tested using SMARTPLS 3.0. The study adopted simple random sampling and gathered data from 394 respondents through internet-mediated questionnaire. The empirical findings suggest that perceived knowledge of digital entrepreneurship, personal attitude, and selfefficacy are necessary antecedents to effective digital entrepreneurial intention. Additionally, attitude and digital entrepreneurial self-efficacy were found to mediate digital entrepreneurial intention. The practical implications of this study suggest that higher education institutions should improve the delivery of entrepreneurship education by emphasizing ICT-based learning applications and introducing ICTemphasized entrepreneurial disciplines. Theoretical contribution includes the explicit iv consideration of digitalization in relation to the antecedents and outcome of the study as well as integration of TPB, Social Learning Theory and Entrepreneurial Intention Theory dimensions as a comprehensive model to assess the antecedents of digital entrepreneurial intention
Enhancing the companies’ directors integrity by abiding to the concept of virtue ethics
Get PDFFor the past few years, the Malaysian news has continuously reported on company directors facing serious allegations of corruption. Despite plethora of statutes, laws, and regulations (deontological rule) that exist in curbing corruption, corrupt dealings in business continue leading to integrity crises. Integrity of directors enhances the company’s reputation, viability, competitiveness and longevity by coordinating the company’s objectives with ethical business practices. Without integrity, a company will suffer significant losses in both businesses and profits. This research aims to examine the concept and philosophical approach of virtue ethics to complement the deontological rule where the concept of virtue ethics can enhance the directors’ conduct of integrity when they were executing their directorial duties and maintaining corporate governance, as well as analyse the concept of integrity crisis (precisely corruption). The research employs a socio-legal research method studying the concept and philosophical approach of virtue ethics and how it can help to eradicate corruption and simultaneously address the crisis of integrity and corporate crime. Legal analysis on the relevant statutory laws was the approach besides interviews with an open-ended questionnaire to a sample of purposive informants. Through systematic content analysis, this research highlights that integrity is universally a dedication and adherence to the directors’ commitment within their power in good faith and to the best interest of the company. This research also finds that directors are integritous if they fulfil the following four principles of integrity, i.e. making business decisions for proper purposes and in good faith, having no material, personal interest in the decision-making process, being adequately informed before the decision-making process and that the decision-making process is in the company's best interest. Additionally, directors inhibiting virtue ethics would have a higher probability of integrity and business ethics than other directors. This research concludes that directors with virtue ethics are proven to positively influence the companies’ work performance, job satisfaction and employee engagement
The moderating effect of ownership structure towards the relationship between corporate governance and firms’ performance of Malaysian construction sector
No full textThe global financial crisis and political risk are negatively contributing to the weak financial performance of the construction industry through high commodity costs. This leads to a drastic decline in the share prices of construction firms. This research investigates the impact of ownership structure on corporate governance and the performance of the public listed construction firms in Malaysia. This study examines the relationship between corporate governance (board gender diversity, audit quality, voluntary corporate disclosure and board expertise) and profitability of Malaysian construction firms. This study determines the moderating effect of managerial and family ownerships on the linkage between corporate governance and firm’s financial performance of Malaysian construction firms. Pooled and panel data covering the period 2000-2018 from 51 listed construction firms were used for the data analysis. This study employed secondary financial data on variables of corporate governance, ownership structures and the firm’s profitability that are based on the compilation of hand-collected 19 years’ annual reports from Bursa Malaysia. The results reveal that audit quality, voluntary corporate disclosure and board expertise significantly impact the performance of the public listed construction firms in Malaysia. Managerial ownership strengthens the relationship between audit quality and the firm’s performance. However, managerial ownership weakens relationships between the firm’s performance and board gender diversity, voluntary corporate disclosure and board expertise. Conversely, family ownership weakens the effect of board expertise on the firm’s performance. Moreover, family ownership moderates the relationship between board gender diversity, audit quality, voluntary corporate disclosure and the performance of the public listed construction firms in Malaysia. By employing the agency theory as the underpinning theory, the empirical results contribute to the advanced body of knowledge that family ownership is vital as a moderator between board gender diversity, audit quality, and voluntary disclosure and the performance of public listed construction firms in Malaysia
A prescriptive knowledge visualization model for student performance based on Internet Use Behavior (IUB)
Get PDFThe visualization and interpretation of the Internet usage data is one of the key elements to determine students’ Internet use behavior (IUB). The term IUB refers to online activities by the students. However, these processes have significant shortcomings in terms of cognitive and reasoning in prescriptive analytics for determining the impact of IUB on student performance. Therefore, this study aims to propose a Prescriptive Knowledge Visualization (PKV) model by using cognitive and reasoning components. This study employed a design science research methodology comprising four phases; problem definition, suggestion, development and evaluation. Initially, a content analysis was conducted to investigate the components of Knowledge Visualization in an educational context. The proposed model was constructed based on the content analysis results of three main components; Knowledge Visualization, prescriptive analytics and Internet use behavior (IUB). The underlying theory of PKV model was based on Prescriptive Knowledge Visualization Theory, Cognitive Load Theory and Decision-Making Theory. The model was then verified and accepted by domain experts. Subsequently, seven PKV model validation dimensions were put forward; complexity, visibility, flexibility, clarity, manageability, practicality and effectiveness. The model validation was conducted in three phases; expert review, usability testing and knowledge base evaluation. The findings indicate that the PKV model's evaluation results score the highest mean of 9.67 (out of 10) of all dimensions and indicate that the proposed PKV model is producing a knowledge base that can be inserted into the system and relevant in the education sector, particularly in supporting the decision process related to the improvement of student performance. Theoretically, this study contributes in enhancing the visualization and interpretation of data by using cognitive and reasoning components in prescriptive analytics. Besides, the proposed model enables decision makers in the educational domain to make meaningful decisions regarding Internet usage management
The relationship between human resource practices and work engagement
Get PDFThe purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between human resource practices and work engagement. This is a correlational study, as its objective is to analyse the relationship between different variables. The population for this study consists of employees from a manufacturing company located in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, with a total target population of 439 employees. This study used simple random sampling technique to choose the
respondents. This study also used quantitative research approach with cross-sectional study. Besides that, data for this study were obtained by distributing questionnaire via google form to sample size of 203 employees that has been chosen from simple random technique. The response rate of this study is 93.5%, which has been used for further analysis. To examine the data Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 27 was used. The result of Pearson’s correlation analysis shows that career advancement, employee participation, performance feedback, job security, rewards and recognition and training and development have positive and significant relationship with work engagement. The multiple regression result shows employee participation, performance feedback and training and development has no
significant influence towards work engagement. Meanwhile, career advancement, job security and rewards and recognition have positive significant relationship with work engagement in a
manufacturing company. This study also has indicated on practical implication, theoretical implications and limitation while performing this study. This study also suggested recommendations for future researchers who are interested in studying the relationship between HR practices and work engagement
Grouper fish feed formulation using enhanced evolutionary algorithm with fibonacci rabbit initialization and binary-standard deviation tournament selection
No full textFish is one of the main meals among people in many countries. Due to that, the problems of insufficient wild-caught fish and the high market demand have driven the effort for fish farming, especially for grouper since its high commercial value. However, fish feed is costly, while the nutrients’ quality needs to be prioritized. Thus, a formulation for grouper fish feed is essential involving appropriate combination of ingredients to optimize nutritional balance with minimal cost. Therefore, this research focused on feed formulation for grouper fish taking into consideration suitable 14 ingredients and 15 nutrients. A set of hard and soft constraints was involved with certain penalties given in ensuring grouper’s healthy growth. The main contribution of this research is the development of feed formulation using Evolutionary Algorithm (EA) with four variations of EA, which are Semi-Random Initialization – Binary Tournament Selection - EA (SR-BT-EA), Fibonacci Rabbit Initialization – Binary Tournament Selection - EA (FR-BT-EA), Semi-Random Initialization - Binary- Standard Deviation Tournament Selection - EA (SR-SD-EA) and Fibonacci Rabbit Initialization - Binary-Standard Deviation Tournament Selection - EA (FR-SD-EA). These variations include the enhanced SD Tournament Selection, novel FR Initialization and newly introduced Z-score expression in the fitness value function. The results show that the fitness function of the EA is able to minimize the penalty values related to weight of ingredients and nutrients’ quality. Among the four EA variations, the FR-SD-EA is the most significant formulation achieving lowest cost of RM 407.09 for a 100 kg feed with the best-so-far fitness value of 407.090 and zero penalty. Thus, this research offers a new approach of formulating the right amount of ingredients to produce a high-quality feed containing essential nutrients for the growth of grouper fish at a minimal cost. Moreover, industrial practitioners can take advantage of the flexibility of the EA methodology to readjust the bulk weight of 100 kg to user-preferred weights, with minor modifications to the EA
Unraveling the relationship between personality traits, perceived organizational support, and work engagement: a study of academic staff in Malaysia
Get PDFAcademic staff constitutes the backbone of the academic institutions. The current worrying dwindling of work engagement among the academic staff has created the need for this study. The present study tried to determine the factors (resources) that might contribute to the work engagement of academic staff. The main objective of this study was to examine the relationship between the big five personality traits, perceived organizational support, and work engagement among academic staff in Malaysia. Data was collected from 390 academic staff of higher education institutions in Malaysia using a convenience sampling method. This research was conducted by applying a quantitative correlational research design and a cross-sectional survey method. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), Big Five Inventory (BFI), and Survey of Perceived Organizational Support (SPOS) were used to measure work engagement, personality traits, and perceived organizational support respectively. Both descriptive and Multiple Regression analyses were used to examine the data. The results showed that the level of work engagement among academic staff was average, creating a cause for concern. This study also found that perceived organizational support was significantly and positively related to work engagement and its three dimensions. Of the five personality traits, only openness to experience was positively and significantly related to work engagement and its three dimensions. Agreeableness was not significantly related to work engagement. The personality traits conscientiousness, extraversion, and neuroticism demonstrated a significant relationship with only one of the dimensions of work engagement which is vigor. Moreover, the results also revealed that perceived organizational support and openness to experience were the strongest predictors of work engagement and its dimensions. The results of this study suggest that higher education institutions should focus on hiring candidates with certain personality traits and increasing organizational support to achieve a highly engaged academic workforce
The influence of motivation and organizational climate on academician effectiveness in North-Western Nigeria: the mediating role of emotional labour
Get PDFAcademician effectiveness evaluation should be an effective mechanism for promoting academia growth in higher learning institutions. Thus, the aim of this research is to examine the relationship between motivation, organisational climate (communication climate and social climate) and academician effectiveness. Emotional labour (surface acting and deep acting) was a mediator on the relationship between motivation, organisational climate and academician effectiveness. Social Exchange Theory (SET) and Affective Event Theory (AET) were utilized in constructing the research framework. The respondents were 233 university lecturers and 1665 students from selected thirteen Nigerian public universities spread over north-western Nigeria. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was employed for initial data screening and aggregation of the dyad’s relationships, while the PLS-SEM technique was used to examine the relationships among the constructs. A purposive sampling approach was used to meet an adequate representative sample. Research findings indicated that communication climate was positively and significantly related to academician effectiveness and deep acting. Deep acting and social climate were positively and significantly related to academician effectiveness, while motivation was positively and significantly correlated to deep acting. However, communication climate was not significantly related to surface acting. Likewise, motivation was notsignificantly related to academician effectiveness and surface acting. Also, social climate was not significantly related to deep acting, surface acting and academician effectiveness. The findings revealed that emotional labour mediated the relationship between motivation, organisational climate and academician effectiveness. Conversely, the emotional labour strategy of surface acting had no mediating effect on the relationship in this study. Research on academician effectiveness should focus on new methods and approaches for improving effectiveness among academicians. This study also contributes to the new literature on SET and AET theories
Study on Turnover Intention in Pakistan’s Textile Industry: The Mediating Effect of Work Engagement and Moderating Effect of Organizational Culture
No full textEmployee turnover can significantly influence the organisation’s profits and employee morale. In other words, losing an employee could cost the organisation up to 200% in terms of hiring, recruiting, and training new employees. Apart from money, high turnover also costs the company time. Therefore, it is crucial to find ways to reduce employee turnover by first understanding their intention to leave the organisation. As such, this study was carried out to investigate the effect of job security, organisational justice, job embeddedness, and work environment on turnover intention. The study also examined the role of work engagement as a mediator and the role of organisational culture as a moderator. The study was conducted among production employees in Textile Industry in Pakistan. In this study, questionnaires were distributed to 768 employees working in the production department in the textile industry in Pakistan. Four hundred thirty questionnaires were returned, but only 350 were suitable for analysis using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) - Partial Least (PLS) method. The results showed a significant effect of job security, job embeddedness, and work environment on work engagement and turnover intention. Work engagement, too, had a significant effect on turnover intention. The results also demonstrated the mediating effect of work engagement in the relationship between job security, job embeddedness, work environment, and turnover intention. Also, the study found a moderating effect of organisational culture on the relationship between work engagement and turnover intention. The present study also highlighted the implications of the research, the limitation of the study and the direction for future research
Zakat compliance intention on employment income among lhdnm staff in Selangor
Get PDFPrior study has demonstrated that compliance with the payment of zakat remains poor. In addition, most academics concentrated on the payment of zakat on income from a job and from businesses, yet compliance rates remain low. Lembaga Zakat Selangor (LZS) reports that the collection of zakat on employment income is the largest, followed by zakat on trade, zakat on a property, and zakat on savings. Consequently, the objective of this research is to analyse the effect of zakat compliance intention on employment income among employees of Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri Malaysia (LHDNM) by employing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Regarding the intention to comply with zakat on employment income, three independent variables i.e., attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control, were measured using 132 returned questionnaires. The results shows that attitude, subjective norm, and trust were found to strongly influence the intention to comply with zakat on employment income. Meanwhile, knowledge toward zakat compliance intention on employment income was not significant. In general, TPB can be used to express the intention to pay zakat on employment income. It is believed that the findings of this study would raise the knowledge of eligible Muslims to comply with zakat on employment income and assist policymakers in the future in becoming more efficient and effective