UNIMAS Journal (Universiti Malaysia Sarawak)
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Community-based Ecotourism in Protected Areas towards Inclusive Development-An Evidence of Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary of India
Get PDFCommunity-based ecotourism (CBET) is one of the tourism segments used to protect the natural environment by the host communities in many countries; however, empirical studies involving active involvement, understanding, and level of satisfaction of the community and tourists in various ecotourism projects are still scarce in the context of developing countries. Thus, this study empirically examines the potential of community-based ecotourism in and around the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary (BKWS) from the perspectives of the community and tourists in Odisha, India. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire prepared based on an expert view. In this study, both descriptive and exploratory research designs were considered the most appropriate. A total of 470 respondents participated in this study. Cronbach’s α was used to ensure reliability and validity of the instrument used for the survey. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 23.0. Collected data were tested for outliers using stem and leaf chart analysis, and all data were normally distributed for further analysis. Finally, a clear picture of the study was drawn based on the analysis and interpretation. The ANOVA (F-test) results demonstrated that community-based ecotourism was quite significant for inclusive development and conservation practices, as supported by all five statistically significant explanatory factors. The one-way ANOVA test for Hypothesis 1 found that community-based eco-tourism can be leveraged as a unique selling point (USP) to boost tourism in Odisha. Furthermore, one-way ANOVA was used to test the second hypothesis, which demonstrated that community-based ecotourism raises awareness within the local population about the importance of protecting Odisha's tourism resources. Similarly, the t-test results demonstrated that tourists and communities do not differ significantly in terms of satisfaction with event settings, art and craft, performance, infrastructure, guide services, and information. The findings of the study revealed that CBET was a major tool for promoting Odisha Tourism and creating awareness among the local community for the conservation of protected areas to embrace sustainability. Practical implications have been suggested for policy improvement in Odisha Tourism
UNRAVELING IMPULSE PURCHASE PATTERNS: INSIGHTS FROM CONVENIENCE STORES IN INDONESIA
Get PDFCompetitive shops have concentrated on impulse purchases to boost sales. Previous study concentrated on malls, ignoring convenience stores. This study aims to explore impulsive buying processes and influencing factors, emphasizing endogenous, individual, and situational factors. By understanding these relationships, retail companies can enhance consumer impulsive buying behavior. Data from 200 convenience store consumers were analyzed using LISREL 11 and SPSS 25. Results indicate that the primary driver of impulsive buying is a natural compulsion to act on impulse, with additional influences from emotional states, financial capacity, shopping enjoyment, and an individual’s impulsive tendencies. In-store browsing was found to have no impact on impulsive purchases. The study underscores the importance of situational, individual, and endogenous factors in driving impulse purchases in convenience stores, filling a significant research gap
FOREIGN EXCHANGE RISK AND BANK PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM MENA BANKS
Get PDFWe provide evidence on the inverse association between foreign exchange risk and the financial performance of banks in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The analysis is based on data collected from 135 banks from 14 countries over the period from 2015 to 2019. The results reveal a negative correlation between foreign exchange (FOREX or FX) risk and both bank performance measures considered. This suggests that banks with higher exposure to risk tend to exhibit lower performance in the MENA region. The study recommends that banks should regularly assess and project their foreign exchange exposure to minimise the associated foreign exchange risks. Furthermore, the findings underscore the importance of establishing appropriate frameworks and policies for prompt reporting and recording of foreign exchange losses. We highlight the importance of bank management to focus on developing effective financial instruments and techniques to hedge against foreign exchange risk, particularly in relation to profit and loss of banks in the MENA region. Ultimately, these measures will contribute to enhancing the financial performance of banks operating in the MENA region. In addition, results suggest that monetary policy should be primarily considered in supervising banks that are reliant on foreign funding for risk hedging. 
Nighttime Lights Or Happiness: Which One Would A Society Choose?
Get PDFThis study discovers evidence of a bidirectional causation between nighttime lights and happiness using the panel Granger non-causality tests of a short (balanced) panel data of 132 countries, within the period from 2008 to 2012. There are different findings throughout the six geographical regions. A bidirectional causation is observed for Latin America and the Caribbean, while a unidirectional causality is from happiness to nighttime lights for East Asia and Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa. In Sub-Saharan Africa is found, the situation is from nighttime lights to happiness. These findings are complemented by the impulse response function, various decomposition analysis, and their estimates of panel random (or fixed) effect models. This study offers an insight that nighttime lights are required for a happy society
MEDIATING EFFECTS OF ISLAMIC BUSINESS SUCCESS ON PRODUCTIVE ZAKAT AND MUSTAHIQ WELFARE
Get PDFThis research aims to determine the effect of productive zakat programs, entrepreneurial motivation, and competence on the welfare of mustahiq through having successful Islamic businesses as interveners. The research applied quantitative analysis method by distributing questionnaires to collect primary data from 111 mustahiq recipients of assistance from zakat institutions. This research employed a path analysis technique with the help of the SEM-PLS (Partial Least Squares) 4.0 program and was used to analyze the influence among variables. The empirical findings indicate that the productive zakat program significantly and positively affects mustahiq's welfare but not the business’s success. Meanwhile, entrepreneurial motivation and competence also significantly and positively affect business success and mustahiq welfare. Interestingly, the success factor for Islamic businesses can mediate the relationship between productive zakat, motivation, and competency on the welfare of mustahiq. This research contributes to the zakat literature by examining the connection between productive zakat, entrepreneurial drive, competency, and the factors influencing the performance of Islamic enterprises in achieving welfare according to Islamic objectives. Practically, the implications of this research are useful for the government as a policymaker in increasing the contribution of zakat institutions to material and spiritual poverty alleviation
Is Takaful (Islamic Insurance) More Efficient Than Conventional Insurance A Comparative Analysis Of Insurance Industry In Malaysia
No full textThe efficiency of the Malaysian insurance industry (II) has drawn increasing international attention as the country has a dual-insurance system that comprises conventional insurance (CI) and takaful (Islamic) insurance (TI). Therefore, the objectives of the present study are to evaluate the efficiency of the Malaysian II as well as compare the efficiencies of CI and TI in Malaysia. Secondary data, spanning 2013-2021, from 46 CI and 28 TI providers was used. The results of the data envelopment analysis (DEA) indicates that scale efficiency (SE) has a significantly larger impact on the impact the total efficiency (TE) of the Malaysian II than pure technical efficiency (PTE). Therefore, larger insurance companies, with higher SE, are better suited to deal with large-scale risks, while smaller insurance companies may need to diversify or reinsure to limit their risk. Meanwhile, the results of the parametric and non-parametric tests indicate that there is a significant difference between the efficiencies of the Malaysian CI and TI industries. More specifically, that the Shariah-compliant nature of the Malaysian TI industry is a more conservative investment approach. As such, it decreases the risk of losses and financial instability. The purpose of comparing the efficiencies of the Malaysian TI and CI industries was to stimulate innovation and competition in the Malaysian II
CREATING HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION PERFORMANCE: EXECUTION CAPABILITY AS A MEDIATOR OF ALIGNMENT
Get PDFThe objective of the study is to explore the impact of the strategic alignment process on improving the Study Program’s Performance and explore the impact of execution capability as a mediator. By using quantitative research and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) AMOS as data analysis, 124 samples were chosen by random sampling method. Respondents are the Head of Study Programs at several Prominent Universities in Central Java Province, Indonesia. The research revealed that the strategic alignment process and execution capabilities have a significant effect on the performance of the Study Program. Execution capability as a mediator significantly increases the influence of the strategic alignment process on improving performance of Study Program’s performance. Contributions of the study provide theoretical and managerial implications to the management of higher education institutions in terms of the ability to implement the strategy. Therefore, a study program needs to improve the quality of the strategic alignment process that takes place in its organization as a recommendation. In this case, it would be better for study programs to choose and develop strategies that suit the stakeholder needs. The originality of this research lies in the simultaneous use of strategic alignment processes and execution capabilities to improve the performance of higher education institutions, which, in several previous studies, discussions on both concepts in higher education management were still rarely carried out
Experimental Study on Phytoremediation of Heavy Metal from Mine Wastewater by Rumex nepalensis Spreng.: Phytoremediation of heavy metal from mine wastewater
No full textTailings pond is considered as the main source of heavy metal pollution in gold mining areas. These heavy metals are directly released into fresh water without proper treatment. Phytoremediation process with the selected terrestrial plants may be an alternative solution for the mine wastewater treatment. In the current study, an experimental investigation found that Rumex nepalensis Spreng. has found a good accumulator of multi-metals in 15 days of experimental period. The results revealed that the removal efficiencies for Zn, Cu, Ni and Pb were 100%, 92%, 87%, and 67%, respectively. These indicate the plant showed its maximum accumulation of multi-metals. However, Pb reached saturation at the end of the 10th day, which makes its removal efficiency only in the first 10 days of the experimental period. The experiment revealed Pb and Ni which were above WHO standard for drinking water in the mine wastewater were made to permissible limit for these metals after the treatment
Comparison between Pollution Index and STORET Methods in Determining Post-Mining Lake Water Quality in Lati Petangis Forest Park, Paser, East Kalimantan after Reclamation: Methods in determining post-mining kake water quality
No full textTahura Lati Petangis is post-mining forest park area. Tahura Lati Petangis has been through the stages of reclamation and post-mining lake has been formed. Monitoring activities are needed to determine the success of post-mining management. This research aims to evaluate the post-mining lake of water quality in Tahura Lati Petangis based on the Pollution Index and STORET methods. The research was located at 3 observation stations, which were station 1 (Pit Lake I Saingprupuk Erai), station 2 (Natural Lake Gentung Dayo), and station 3 (Pit Lake II Saingprupuk Duo). At all research stations, in-situ water quality observations were made in the form of dissolved oxygen, pH, and water temperature at 4 points sites. Water sampling was also carried out at 4 sites in each station for ex-situ quality testing. Water quality analysis based on pollution index and STORET method. The determination of water quality status based on Government Regulation No. 22/2021. The results showed that the water quality status between Pollution Index and STORET had differences. The STORET method shows more polluted results. The source of pollution at the three observation stations is generally related to organic compounds through high measurement of chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, phosphate, and phenol, so the value of dissolved oxygen is also affected. Especially for zinc and iron dissolved in Station 3 which are heavy metals included in the accumulation of STORET scoring. Station 1 and Station 2 are only suitable for agricultural or irrigation activities (class IV), while Station 3 is not suitable for all four use classes. Therefore, Station 3 is more polluted than the other two lakes. Monitoring the water quality of post-mining lakes after reclamation showed decrease in heavy metal concentrations, and on the other side there was increase in the concentration of aquatic organic compounds
Potential of Local Microorganisms Solution from Chicken Manure as a Bioactivator in Liquid Waste Treatment from the Fish Cracker Processing Industry: Local Microorganisms Solution from Chicken Manure as a Bioactivator
No full textThe wastewater produced by traditional food industry is a source of problem due to its high levels of organic compounds pollutant that can increase the level of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) values that exceed the established wastewater quality standard thresholds. The difficulty in removing high concentrations of organic material through conventional waste treatment necessitates the use of special treatment methods using local microorganisms’ solution as bioactivators to accelerate the decomposition of organic compounds. This research aims to identify bacteria in local microorganisms’ solution with potential applications in reducing organic compounds by its enzymatic activities. Based on the research results, among the 42 isolates examined, six isolates demonstrated the ability to hydrolyze starch, protein and fat based on qualitative tests. These isolates belong to the genus Bacillus based on partial sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. The qualitative tests confirmed the potential of these isolates as they exhibited enzymatic activities that showed potential to reduce organic compounds