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THE EFFECT OF WORK ETHICS ON JOB PERFORMANCE: AN ASSESSMENT OF SELECTED FEDERAL MINISTRIES IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF NIGERIA
No full textEmployee behaviour at work can be ethical or immoral, and is typically linked to work ethics. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between government officials\u27 performance and work ethics. In this study, work ethics and their effect on performance are assessed using a structural model. The methodology utilized was the exploratory type. A total of 384 self-administered questionnaires were distributed to respondents who were selected using a convenience sample technique. Using a six-point Likert scale, only 157 returned self-administered questionnaires were given to 157 respondents who were chosen at random from administrative positions in several Nigeria Federal Ministries situated in the Federal Capital Territory. The Multidimensional Job Ethics Profile (MWEP) was the tool used to evaluate ethical behaviour in the workplace. The findings obtained support the validity and accuracy of the structural model as a means of assessing the connection between performance and work ethics. The study concluded that work ethics have a significant influence on workplace performance, emphasising their critical role in enhancing job performance
REMOTE WORK MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS OF TELECOMMUNICATION FIRMS
No full textDisruptive times happen, and there is a chance of unpreparedness confronting the populace. However, it offers opportunities to adopt new methods or reinforce alternative processes in delivering value to customers. Remote work has always been practised globally, but the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic reinforced its practice. This study examined the connection between remote work management practices (RWMPs) and the operational performance of companies in the Nigerian telecommunication industry. The study’s population comprised the workers of the four (4) prominent telecommunication firms in Nigeria. The telecommunication firms in Nigeria at the point of time of this study were GLO, MTN, AIRTEL, and 9Mobile. A well-structured questionnaire was administered to 400 randomly selected respondents from a target population of 7,756, with 340 participants completing the survey, providing valuable primary data for this study. Descriptive statistical tools and structural equation modelling (SEM) were employed to analyze the data collected. Findings from the empirical study showed that RWMPs significantly and positively influence companies\u27 operational performance in the Nigerian telecommunication industry. It was found that RWMPs substantially improve the operational performance of telecommunication companies in a developing economy like Nigeria. Consequently, it was recommended that the management of the companies in the Nigeria telecommunication industry provide more ICT facilities and other resources to sustain their RWMPs. To ensure that the operational performances of these firms will continue to improve at a geometrical rate management should not allow their staff to waste productive hours in their daily commute to work. The study was limited to telecommunication firms in Nigeria, therefore future studies could expand the scope to include other countries or regions, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon
DO FIRM CHARACTERISTICS MATTER IN EXPLAINING THE LAPSE RATE OF LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES AND FAMILY TAKAFUL CERTIFICATES IN MALAYSIA?
No full textThis study discovers the influence of the firm’s characteristics (i.e. firm size, firm leverage, aggressiveness of sales, board of directors’ size and diversity) on the lapse rate of life insurance policies and family takaful certificates in Malaysia. The panel data includes 25 insurance operators consisting of 14 conventional insurers and 11 takaful operators available between 2014 and 2022.The cross-sectional Ordinary Least Square (OLS) estimates show that firm size has a negative influence on lapse rates of life insurance (2019-2021), while a positive sign for firm leverage (2017, 2020 and 2021). The aggressiveness of sales shows the inconsistent influence on the lapse rate of life insurance in 2017 (positive) and in 2021 (negative). The firm leverage negatively influences on the lapse rate of family takaful for 2017 and 2018. The panel data estimates show that firm leverage and diversity of the firm’s board of directors significantly impact the life insurance lapse rate while only firm diversity significantly impacts family takaful lapse rates. This study offers policy implications for the insurance industry in Malaysia, especially by the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM)
A Convex Variational Interactive Model with Projection Method for Digital Images Partitioning
No full textDigital image partitioning separates the foreground of an image from the background for subsequent analysis. In literature, the variational global model is frequently employed for digital images partitioning; however, it has been shown to underperform when the targeted object is situated near a neighbouring object. To address this issue, researchers recently devised the variational interactive model (VIM). However, because of the formulation’s non-convexity, it is sensitive to the placement of the initial contour and provides inaccurate results if the initial contour is not positioned correctly. Consequently, a new convex formulation of VIM was recently developed based on the chessboard distance function, known as the Selective Segmentation based on Chessboard distance function (SSCD) model. Although this model achieved better accuracy and efficiency in image partitioning and is less sensitive to the initial contour’s location compared to the non-convex VIM, the partitioning process is significantly slower, especially for large-sized images. This stems from the utilisation of a complex penalty term and the approximation of the regularisation term during the energy minimisation phase, which also impacts the accuracy of the partitioning results. This work contributes by proposing a new convex VIM that omits the penalty term and avoids approximating the regularisation term. Moreover, the idea of utilising the projection method is proposed to speed up the partitioning process with improved accuracy. Numerical experiments demonstrated that the proposed model achieved higher accuracy and efficiency compared to existing models. The proposed model has the potential to be formulated into a three-dimensional formulation in the future
Prediction of Rice Yields in a Changing Climate Using the Mobile Rice Yield Prediction Application
No full textIn Malaysia, rice production is crucial for national food security but faces significant challenges due to unpredictable climate patterns and climate change. Traditional prediction methods often struggle to capture the complex interaction between climatic and agricultural factors that cause a critical gap in accurately forecasting rice yields. This paper examines the Mobile Rice Yield Prediction Application (MRYPA) through a comparative analysis of two regression models: A baseline multiple linear regression model and an enhanced version incorporating polynomial and interaction terms. A 10-year dataset from the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) and the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOA) were trained and tested on varying data splits and then evaluated using performance metrics such as R-squared, Mean Absolute Error, Mean Square Error, and Root Mean Square Error. The findings reveal that while the enhanced model demonstrates marginally better predictive accuracy in smaller datasets, both models exhibit comparable performance with larger training datasets. A 50% train-test split yielded the best results for both models, achieving an R-squared value of 0.9843 for the baseline model and marginal improvements for the enhanced model. These findings underscore the potential of integrating yield and climate data into user-friendly tools, such as MRYPA, to empower stakeholders to make informed, data-driven decisions for sustainable agriculture and national food security. Future work will refine the prediction accuracy and system utility by integrating different data sources and advanced machine-learning models
The Mediating Role of Perceived Ease of Learning in Teacher Readiness to Adopt Blockchain for Educational Assessment
No full textTraditional educational assessment systems in Malaysia face persistent issues such as data security vulnerabilities, lack of transparency, and centralised control, which collectively undermine trust, reliability, and operational efficiency. While blockchain (BC) technology has emerged as a promising solution offering decentralisation, immutability, and enhanced data security, a critical gap exists in understanding teacher readiness to adopt such innovations within the education sector. Most prior research emphasises the technical feasibility of blockchain or user acceptance in non-educational contexts, often overlooking educators’ cognitive and pedagogical challenges when learning and using unfamiliar technologies. This study investigates how key attributes of BC relative advantage (RA), compatibility (COM), and complexity (CPX) influence teacher readiness for adoption, mediated by perceived ease of learning (PEOL). A total of 750 questionnaires were distributed, resulting in 514 valid responses from post-secondary school teachers in the northern region of Malaysia, achieved through a simple and proportionate stratified random sampling technique. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) reveals that COM and CPX significantly predict teacher readiness, while PEOL is a partial mediator. RA shows no significant direct or indirect effect, challenging assumptions about its centrality in technology adoption models. These findings contribute to the broader goals of Industrial Revolution (IR) 5.0 by highlighting the importance of human-centric, cognitively accessible technological integration strategies in education, particularly for fostering systemic reform in assessment practices
ENHANCING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE DIALOGUE: A STUDY OF MALAYSIAN AND AUSTRALIAN PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS
No full textPurpose - Despite the comprehensive nature of pre-service teacher training programs in Malaysia, the first year of teaching remains a challenging period for novice educators. Effective practices to support the transition to professional life is therefore crucial for teacher retention. This paper presents findings from a prospective study of an ongoing project model developed collaboratively by academics from an Australian public university and a Malaysian public teacher education provider. Together, they facilitated a series of international, dialogue-focused workshops designed to foster collaboration and conversation between Malaysian and Australian pre-service teachers.
Methodology - Pre-service teachers from Australia and Malaysia identified key areas of concern within their respective educational systems. Through virtual classroom sessions, they collaboratively discussed these issues and shared strategies for addressing them. Employing a qualitative approach, the project conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 Malaysian pre-service teachers to explore their participation in the virtual dialogues. The interviews also examined the participants’ key takeaways, classroom teaching applications, and the challenges of engaging in online discussions.
Findings - Analysis of the interview data revealed six key themes: (1) Games in the Classroom, (2) Inclusive Mindsets, (3) Planning in Teaching and Learning, (4) Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), (5) International and Comparative Education, and (6) Workshop Sustainability.
Significance - This study highlights the potential of the online collaborative project model to enhance pre-service teachers’ international collaboration skills. It underscores the model’s value as a sustainable professional development tool and a supportive framework for easing the transition to professional teaching
A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF VIDEO-BASED FEEDBACK IN HIGHER EDUCATION (2003-2022): TRENDS, GAPS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
No full textPurpose – Video-based feedback presents a unique approach characterised by a conversational narrative and instructor screen captures, enriching students\u27 learning experiences and fostering stronger instructor-student connections. While this innovative methodology has the potential to revolutionise feedback practices in higher education, its full benefits and practical implications for improving learning outcomes remain unexplored.
Methodology – This study employs a bibliographic analysis to examine the emerging landscape of video-based feedback research in higher education from 2003 to 2022. Data was systematically curated from the Dimensions database. Out of an initial 25,747 publications, 1,532 publications were selected for final analysis after refining the keyword search to ensure relevance to the subject. VOSviewer was used for bibliographic coupling, keyword co-occurrence, clustering, and co-citation analysis of countries.
Findings – The bibliometric analysis reveals a significant increase in publications on video-based feedback in higher education, peaking at 286 publications in 2022. The United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom are identified as leading contributors, with China emerging as a prominent player in Asia. Keyword analysis uncovers potential research gaps, including the need to extend studies beyond medical education, address the specific requirements of adult learners, and investigate the socio-emotional dimensions of video-based feedback.
Significance – This study provides a significant contribution to understanding video-based feedback in higher education, positioning it as a dynamic and rapidly evolving field driven by the proliferation of online learning. The insights from this analysis offer valuable guidance for future research directions and practical applications, such as developing evidence-based best practices for creating effective video feedback and exploring its impact on student engagement, motivation, and academic achievement
THE ABU SAYYAF GROUP AND KIDNAPPING FOR RANSOM IN SABAH, MALAYSIA, 2000–2023
No full textSince the formation of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, the country has faced various traditional security threats. These include the Philippines’ territorial claim over Sabah since 1968 and the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation from 1963 to 1966. However, with the evolving nature of global security, the discourse has expanded to include the non-traditional security threats (NTS). One of Malaysia’s key national security concerns is the prevalence of cross-border crimes, particularly along the maritime borders of Sabah’s east coast. Since 2000, the Malaysian government has implemented security policies to combat kidnapping for ransom (KFR). However, the on-going conflict in the southern Philippines has further complicated the security landscape in the region. This study investigates the role of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in KFR activities from 2020 to 2023. It argues that two primary factors have contributed to the persistence of the KFR: (i) on-going violence in the southern Philippines and (ii) the lucrative nature of the crime. This study employs a qualitative methodology, utilizing data from interviews with key informants, fieldwork observations, official documents from local authorities, and secondary sources. The findings highlight the growing prominence of NTS as a critical national security concern for Malaysia. Specifically, the study reveals that KFR has gained precedence over traditional security concerns, making it a top priority in Malaysia’s national security agenda
MALAYSIA\u27S STATE AUTONOMY STATUS IN CHINA\u27S BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE PARTNERSHIP
No full textThe Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), introduced by Xi Jinping in September 2013, has become a significant component of China\u27s global economic strategy, impacting its numerous partner countries, including Malaysia. This study examines Malaysia\u27s state autonomy in managing its relationship with China within the BRI framework under Anwar Ibrahim\u27s leadership. While the initiative presents economic benefits, Malaysia faces challenges in balancing its autonomy with its strategic and comprehensive engagement in BRI projects. This study employs a qualitative approach, drawing insights from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were collected through interviews with government officials, industry experts, and relevant stakeholders, while secondary sources included existing literature, reports, and official documents. The study assesses Malaysia\u27s strategic approach to maintaining autonomy within the BRI partnership, identifies key factors influencing Malaysia\u27s decision-making regarding BRI projects, and examines the broader implications of Malaysia\u27s state autonomy on its economy and national interests. Supported by Anthony Giddens’ structuration framework, the findings shed light on Malaysia\u27s governance strategies and interactions with China under the BRI. By analysing the dynamics of state autonomy in this partnership, the study provides valuable insights of the BRI’s implications for Malaysia\u27s sovereignty, economic development, and foreign policy