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Utilizing Local Food Heritage as a Destination Marketing Strategy for Tourism to Promote Multiethnic Malaysia
Get PDFIn the past 25 years, many tourism researchers have studied how local food, tourists, and travel locations are interrelated. While many studies have examined the impact of local food and dining experiences on tourists' travel decisions and length of stay, less attention has been given to how local food heritage is strategically incorporated into tourism destination marketing. Understanding this aspect is crucial, as it highlights the distinctive appeal of a destination and its contribution to community development. This article examines how the Malaysian government incorporates local food heritage into its country’s marketing strategies. In this study, relevant archival documents, including tourism-related policies and marketing collaterals, were collected and analysed using thematic analysis. The results show that tourism and food-related policies play critical roles in the effort to strategize on ‘what and how’ to promote local food heritage as a key part of Malaysia’s unique experience. The marketing collaterals, on the other hand, act as a ‘middle person’ which informs potential tourists about the local food heritage experiences, including the food's historical background and dining places either in descriptive (textual) or image (visual through specific food photographs). Although the results reveal both the specific and interrelated functions of tourism-related policies and marketing strategies, a few archival documents were excluded due to confidentiality issues and limited access. Therefore, future research might empirically delve deeper into the various tourism stakeholders’ collaboration on the complexities of incorporating local food heritage into destination marketing strategies to provide comprehensive theoretical and practical knowledge. 
The Importance of Employability Skills for Hospitality Graduates toward Employment Status
Get PDFEvery individual strives to achieve their dream profession to lead a comfortable life. Currently, individuals are engaged in intense competition to secure employment, particularly those that offer superior perks and remuneration. In today's competitive job market, hospitality graduates need more than just technical knowledge to secure employment. The purpose of this research is to examine the elements that influence the identification of employable abilities as perceived by hospitality graduates. The research study investigates the importance of employability skills among hospitality graduates and their impact on employment status. The primary research problem addresses how soft and hard skills contribute to graduates' job market readiness. The research is quantitative, gathering data from participants through questionnaires. The total number of hospitality graduates involved in answering the questionnaire is 155 respondents. The data demonstrates that employability skills, both soft and hard, are crucial for securing job offers. Major findings indicate that graduates possessing a balanced combination of soft and hard skills have higher employment rates and better job performance. The outcome of this study is to show that employability skills, like hard and soft skills, are important for future careers after graduating from university. This study can raise awareness among current students, particularly those in the hospitality field, about the importance of enhancing their skills beyond their university education
Impacts of Social Network Characteristics on Digital Seizing Capabilities and Sustainable Performance: Evidence from Advanced Manufacturing Clusters in China
No full textThis study examines how Social Network Relational Characteristics (SNRC) and Social Network Structural Characteristics (SNSC) influence Sustainable Performance (SP) in China’s advanced manufacturing clusters, with the mediating role of Digital Seizing Capability (DSZC). Drawing on Social Network Theory and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, SP is modeled as a second-order construct comprising economic, environmental, and social performance. Survey data from 236 firms in eight national-level clusters were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).Results show that SNRC directly and indirectly enhance SP through DSZC, while SNSC impacts SP only indirectly via DSZC. This highlights DSZC as a critical mechanism for converting network advantages into sustainability outcomes. The study advances theory by integrating relational and structural network dimensions with dynamic capabilities and offers practical guidance for managers and policymakers to strengthen network relationships and digital capabilities to foster sustainable competitiveness in the Industry 4.0 era
Enterprise Risk Management Maturity in Malaysia’s Banking Industry: A Conceptual Assessment
No full textEnterprise Risk Management (ERM) has emerged as a critical framework for ensuring the stability, resilience, and long-term sustainability of financial institutions. In Malaysia, the banking industry has made significant progress in embedding ERM, guided by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) regulatory frameworks and global best practices. However, the maturity of ERM practices varies across institutions, particularly in areas such as governance, culture, risk reporting, and technology adoption. The objective of this concept paper is to design an integrated framework to assess the ERM maturity of the Malaysian banking industry. This concept paper proposes an integrated ERM maturity assessment by examining ten key dimensions that reflect compliance with international standards and regulatory requirements. Findings are expected to provide insights for regulators, policymakers, and banking institutions to strengthen ERM practices, support sustainable financial growth, and stay resilient
Challenges in Maintaining Halal Integrity in the Logistics Industry: A Case Study of Kokubu Food Logistics Malaysia Sdn. Bhd
No full textHalal logistics has become an increasingly important component of Malaysia’s supply chain ecosystem, reflecting both religious obligations and growing consumer expectations. The study aims to (1) examine halal logistics from an Islamic perspective, (2) analyze the processes of maintaining halal certification, and (3) identify the challenges faced by logistics operators in sustaining compliance. This study examines how Kokubu Food Logistics Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (KFLM), a subsidiary of Japan’s Kokubu Group, manages the complexity of sustaining halal compliance in daily operations. Using a qualitative case-study approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with three key personnel directly involved in halal logistics management. Thematic analysis was applied to identify major themes related to research objectives. The findings show that while KFLM has established a strong Halal Assurance System supported by clear SOPs, regular audits, and departmental coordination, the company continues to face financial pressures, varying levels of staff awareness, and inconsistent customer compliance. External regulatory changes further compound these issues, particularly when global halal standards do not align with JAKIM’s guidelines. Despite these challenges, the study highlights KFLM’s resilience through continuous training, structured documentation practices, and close engagement with certification authorities. The research contributes to the theoretical understanding of halal logistics as an operational expression of Maqasid al-Shariah and offers practical insights for policymakers seeking to strengthen standard harmonization, traceability, and industry support mechanisms. Study underscores that halal logistics is not merely a technical process but a reflection of ethical responsibility, organizational discipline, and the broader principles of amanah and halalan toyyiba
Stakeholder Participation and Social Responsibility: A Dynamic Framework for Corporate Governance
No full textThis paper examines the interconnection among stakeholder engagement, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and corporate governance in Southeast Asia's evolving institutional environment, focusing on Malaysia. Drawing on institutional theory and stakeholder management schools of thought, this research develops a model that considers corporate governance as an evolving system. By employing a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative institutional surveys with quantitative performance indicators collected between 2019 and 2023, this research analyzes the complicated relationship between institutional frameworks, company performance, and stakeholder engagement. The findings demonstrate that effective governance hinges on an adaptive equilibrium between formal systems and informal cultural values, enabled by real-time feedback mechanisms. Three key contributions emerge: (1) a dynamic stakeholder engagement model, (2) a holistic performance reporting framework, and (3) cybernetic governance principles for societal and technological challenges. Placing Southeast Asian contexts within the shareholder activism research matrix, this research fills significant theory gaps and offers practical lessons for corporations, policymakers, and civil society organizations to enhance corporate governance practice in the region
Drivers and Constraints of Remanufacturing: A Global Bibliometric Review
No full textThis study aims to provide a global bibliometric review of scholarly research concerning the drivers and constraints in the domain of remanufacturing, which also seeks to provide a blueprint of the intellectual structure and thematic evolution, along with collaboration patterns in this important area of sustainability. This study reviews 1,162 publications from Scopus’s 2015–2025 database, employing bibliometric methods using VOSviewer and Harzing’s Publish or Perish software. This study measures the trends in publications, authorship, subject areas, and keyword co-occurrence networks. The results show an exponential increase in research output since 2019, with Environmental Science and Engineering dominating the publications. Research output stems from the drivers which include the absence of policy and regulatory support, economic incentives and profitability, sustainability and resource efficiency, market demand and consumer behaviour, and technological improvement. The constraints of research output include consumer perception and acceptance, high initial investment and financial viability, lack of skilled workforce, product design and technical obstacles, and reverse logistics and supply chain uncertainty. Research also shows the strong interdisciplinary nature of the field. The primary focus of research is still concentrated in Europe and East Asia. By integrating ten years of worldwide research, this study aims to create a systematic evidence base for academics and practitioners. In closing, it advocates for research on remanufacturing to be more inclusive, context-sensitive, and transdisciplinary so that remanufacturing can develop as a scalable, equitable, and transformative component of the circular economy
Integrating Digital Leadership with Workforce Agility: A Conceptual Model for Malaysian Public Schools
No full textThe integration of digital leadership and workforce agility has become increasingly vital for managing digital transformation in educational systems. This conceptual paper explores how school leaders in Malaysian public schools can navigate technological change while cultivating a teaching workforce that is adaptive, self-regulating, and resilient. Grounded in transformational and distributed leadership theories, and informed by frameworks on learning agility and professional development, the study presents a context-sensitive conceptual model. Drawing on a synthesis of literature and practitioner experience, the paper articulates five key theoretical propositions linking digital leadership competencies such as emotional intelligence, strategic vision, and inclusive governance to workforce agility outcomes. It further examines organizational enablers including professional development, collaborative culture, and infrastructure support. The end product is a framework that?provides a comprehensive picture of how the practices of educational leaders can contribute to institutional resilience, innovation, and inclusive capacity-building in the case of Malaysia's public schooling. This study adds to leadership theory and application by situating Western models within?Southeast Asian environments and provides a basis for further empirical testing and policy development
Evaluating The Influence of Networking Strategies on Start-Up Growth: Evidence from Anambra State, Nigeria
No full textThis study investigates the influence of networking strategies on the growth trajectory of start-ups in Anambra State, Nigeria. The research aims to determine how networking behaviours such as collaboration, partnerships, and knowledge sharing contribute to business expansion and sustainability. A quantitative research design was adopted, and data were collected from 374 start-up owners and managers across Awka, Nnewi, and Onitsha using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including correlation and regression, were employed to examine the relationship between networking strategies and start-up growth. Findings reveal that effective networking significantly enhances access to resources, knowledge, and market opportunities, which, in turn, drive innovation, visibility, and business performance. The study concludes that networking serves as a strategic mechanism for sustaining competitive advantage among start-ups. It recommends that entrepreneurs invest in professional networks and mentorship programs, while policymakers create an enabling environment that promotes collaboration and knowledge exchange among start-ups. The study contributes to entrepreneurial literature by empirically validating the role of networking in fostering start-up development in emerging economies
Investigating the Interplay of Motivational Access, Physical Access and Digital Skills Access to ICT on Internet Usage Diversity
Get PDFThe rapid advancement of information and communication technologies (ICTs) during this decade has increased its importance for individuals, businesses and societies. However, despite efforts to improve digital infrastructure, access, and ownership, the digital divide remains a persistent issue and a barrier to many sectors. Digital divide is not limited to physical access, but it comprises a wide range of factors. The study explores the demographic information and the access to ICT aspects (motivational access, physical access, operational skill access, formal skill access, informational skill access, and strategic skill access) that shape university students’ internet usage diversity. The study conducted an online survey on 351 students who were pursuing their studies in different disciplines at West Malaysian University. The role of demographic variables and ownership of 5 G-enabled devices in digital divide issues was investigated. Results showed that all demographic variables except gender have significantly impacted the dimensions of access to ICT to some extent. Furthermore, the study found that operational skills access, informational skills access, and physical access have predicted students' internet usage diversity. This implies the digital divide persists among university students in terms of operational skills, informational skills, and physical access to internet usage diversity. The findings also indicate that the digital divide persists across two levels of digital divide among university students in Malaysia. The results have strengthened the findings that the original digital divide of physical access has evolved into a divide that includes differences in skills to diversify internet usag