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People analytics: an evidence-based approach in managing employees
No full textThe Human Resources (HR) analytics provide ample benefits to the organizations, but the employee data privacy remains a big concern for the HR professionals to tackle. In addition, data is now the new goldmine for the Human Resources HR professional. The role of HR has evolved from transactional work to transformational work to provide greater strategic value for organizational effectiveness. More companies are now embedding analytical tools in their HR function as a new fact-based approach in designing relevant strategies to make informed decisions while managing their people more effectively. Understanding people's behaviour is a winning strategy for an organization to survive in the revolving business outlook as employees are the ones who actually translate strategy into action. However, in reality HR is facing several challenges when it comes to data analytics. Data analytics is commonly used in talent management to yield desired employee engagement in terms of retention rate, recruitment, job satisfaction and happiness. This paper explores critical issues related to HR data analytics from various viewpoints. In total, there are five main issues discussed which are conservative approach to data analysis, lack of data governance, reskilling and upskilling, data accuracy and reliability, and management resistance
Physiochemical changes and nutritional content of black garlic during fermentation
No full textThis study was conducted to understand the reactions involved in black garlic fermentation, and thereby to determine its maturity stage. Black garlic was produced from fresh garlic after fermentation at 70–75 °C and 80–90% relative humidity up to 12 days in this study. The enzymatic hydrolysis of fructans and oligosaccharides, and endophytic bacterial action were likely to be the dominant processes at the initial stage, and followed by non-enzymatic browning Maillard reaction. Fructose was initially detected at the highest concentration and started to decrease after 10 days together with the exponential increase of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) content. The predominant acids were citric and succinic acids, whereas potassium was the most abundant minerals. The loss of pungent smell could be attributed to the degradation of sulfur containing compounds. The pH of fresh garlic was 6.61, and gradually decreased to 8 days. Garlic fermentation involved multiple reactions including enzymatic hydrolysis, endophytic bacterial action, and non-enzymatic browning reaction to achieve maturity after 8 days
Mantle of the expert as an arts-based approach to learning: a review on experiences of tertiary learners
No full textOne of the most fundamental issues with the current teaching methodology is that pupils are not motivated or involved in class and find it uninteresting. Therefore, a practical teaching approach should be used when teaching ESL to produce learners with these skills. Mantle of the Expert pedagogy is a practical approach to help learners develop the 4Cs (critical thinking, creative thinking, communicating, and cooperating) in 21st-century learning. This study intends to determine how the Mantle of Expert approach affects learners' attitudes toward language acquisition and explore how learners perceive the Mantle of Expert approach's contribution to speaking ability. As part of the mixed-method approach utilized in this study, questionnaires were distributed to thirty undergraduates at a public institution in Johor. The mean value for each item in the surveys was set to analyse the research questions. In addition, ten students who took part in the lessons that were taught using the Mantle of Expert approach were interviewed based on their opinions. The data's thematic analysis results reveal that most students had a favourable attitude toward employing the Mantle of Expert approach to language acquisition, mainly speaking. Increased engagement, learning benefits, self-efficacy, confidence, motivation, speaking development, and vocabulary acquisition were among the points underlined. To address teacher-centred classroom concerns that affect their learning outcomes, creativity, and satisfaction, instructors must be aware of learners' needs and adopt a new approach that significantly engages them in learning English better
Optimising digital technology in managing zakat
No full textOne of the most effective methods for reducing poverty is zakat, which is acknowledged in many nations. Utilizing zakat is consistent with the objective of Sustainable Development Goals, especially those aimed at eradicating poverty and hunger. Digitalisation of zakat offer opportunities and potentials for improving financial inclusion in some nations. In order to maximise financial inclusion in support of sustainable development goals, this conceptual study analyses prior work on technology views in the context of zakat collection and distribution. The purpose of this study is to examine the optimisation of digital technology or fintech that will affect the transformation of zakat management in Malaysia. This study employs a qualitative methodology by evaluating previous literatures for information if zakat organisations coordinate the distribution and collecting of zakat in relationship to the use of technology. Future studies would focus on developing a creative, technology-based integrated management strategy for zakat distribution and collection
Use of multimodality in remote drama performance among pre-service teachers during the covid-19 pandemic
No full textDue to the COVID-19 pandemic, the drama, which is normally performed live on stage, was changed to remote drama performance. This paper explores the use of multimodality as a pedagogical tool in a drama course among a group of 22 pre-service teachers in an institute of teacher education in Malaysia. A single case study investigated the most common modes of multimodality that students used in adapting and presenting Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” into a remote drama performance as well as their engagement in learning. Students’ project output in the form of playscripts and short films were collected and analysed using a multimodal framework for analysing multimodal engagement among students. Students’ reflective journals were also analysed thematically to investigate their multimodal engagement. The findings revealed the six most common multimodal modes were linguistic, visual, audio, gestural, spatial, tactile, and technical and digital. Students’ multimodal engagement was also highlighted through their learning in technical and technological skills as well as cooperation. The results pave the ways for revising the course contents for the drama pedagogy through the integration of technology and more research into the use of multimodal pedagogical tools in the field of English language especially for remote drama courses
Women-friendly housing: rethinking women's safety, welfare and security in medium-cost housing
No full textThis research explores the importance of women's safety, welfare, and security in the development of medium-cost housing in Malaysia. The vast majority of women and girls face great anxiety and insecurity in an unsafe environment where women often being the targeted subject for harassment and violence, especially behind closed doors of a poor housing environment and condition. There is little emphasis on women's safety, welfare, and security planning and design in low-cost housing which is often overlooked by the authority. The lack of power, differences in lifestyle, and lack sense of understanding amongst the lower-income group also affect the security as the term 'neighborhood effect' is often used to describe the simultaneous presence of neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage with other social problems such as high rate of unemployment, and crime that consequently diminishes the security aspect in a low-cost housing complex. Therefore, the objectives of this research are to identify the needs for the emotional, social, and economic development of women in a medium-cost housing environment; to develop suitable program relating to the emotional, social and economic state of women in a medium-cost housing territory; and to propose a housing design that resolves the emotional, social and economic state of women in a medium-cost housing environment
Assessing micro entrepreneur personality traits and behaviours via spatial measurement
No full textDeveloping a career in entrepreneurship is very promising, especially when there are various facilities like loan assistance given to new entrepreneurs like micro-entrepreneurs. In applying for the facilities provided, micro-entrepreneurs were required to undergo a specific assessment to evaluate the applicants' financial status and personal traits. Currently, there are no specific objective measurements to measure the personality traits and furthermore the personality traits are subjective and difficult to measure objectively. Therefore, the aim of this research was to explore an objective alternative way to measure micro-entrepreneur's personality traits and behaviours via spatial measurements. The three main objectives for this research were to investigate the weakness in the current micro-entrepreneur personality traits and behaviours measurement used for micro-entrepreneurs, to evaluate the micro-entrepreneur personality traits and behaviours, and to validate the alternative entrepreneur's personality traits and behaviour measurement. To achieve the objectives, fifteen respondents were interviewed to investigate the related personality traits, behaviour, and the weakness of the current approach (Socially Desirable Responding - SDR, bias, and less objective measurement). Based on the initial finding, questionnaires were constructed and distributed to one hundred forty-five respondents, consisting of two categories with fifty-one micro-entrepreneurs and ninety-four evaluators from agencies that provide loans and aid to micro-entrepreneurs, respectively. The microcredit agencies involved are Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), TEKUN Nasional, Lembaga Kenaf dan Tembakau Negara (LKTN), Zakat Institution, MARDI, TERAJU, DUMS, KEDA, MARA, Department of Agriculture, and RISDA. Their responses were analysed using SmartPLS3 statistical analysis techniques and then further validated by interviewing three experts from the microcredit agencies personnel. The main findings indicated that most of the micro-entrepreneur's personality traits could be measured via spatial measurement. Those personality traits were efforts, perseverance, endurance, confidence, seriousness, responsible, creativity and innovation, risk-taker, opportunity-oriented, commitment, and locus of control. However, based on the statistical analysis, it was found that three from the eleven personality traits proposed were suggested to be removed which were confidence (micro-entrepreneur's), responsible (staffs), and risk-taker (both staff and micro-entrepreneur). This removal was also supported by the expert's opinions involved in this research, along with their respective justifications. The findings showed that it is feasible to evaluate an entrepreneur's personality traits and behaviours objectively via spatial measurement. This measurement could support more transparent decision-making, especially for agencies granting aid or loans to potential entrepreneurs. As such, this research could be expanded to other subgroups such as small and medium enterprises and online entrepreneurs. This will benefit the entrepreneurs in the future
Single layer map viewer approach for multi-scale data extraction
No full textIn any desktop and online mapping platform, almost all types of spatial datasets are prepared in multi-scale levels to support map ratio in each zoom class. Current practices in multi-scale data management are either by file-based, database, layer tiles or by using generalisation algorithms to support each transition zoom level of online maps. Multi-scale datasets, either 2-Dimension (2D) and 3-Dimension (3D) vectors or raster, are prepared to serve as a set of data in several accuracy levels or level of details (LoDs) for sharing purposes. However, existing solutions have several drawbacks, either at the storage cost, updating workload or visualisation (graphic and memory), and are time-consuming. For example, vector datasets lead to redundancy in geometry, attribute, topology and semantics for each LoDs and are unable to be viewed in a single viewer. On the other hand, the raster dataset has multiple resolutions from various sources and times, leading to extra storage and slower rendering performance. Thus, this study aimed to develop new approach in properly managing existing multi-scale spatial data such as vector 2D, 3D CityGML and rasters toward a single layer map viewer. The study introduced the Scale Unique Identifier (ID) for vectors to connect all respective LoDs in the attribute database, enabling cross-LoD information query. The High Definition (HD) Map Extractor tool was developed for the raster, and the Enhanced Terrain Profile (ETP) was upgraded based on works in QGIS software to support cross-resolution queries respectively for polygons and lines. The performance of each mentioned dataset was tested, especially in machine resources utilisation on memory, graphic and processor for updating workload, time taken for cross-scale query, and cost-benefits compared to the existing solutions. The experiment performed in this study improved up to 75 percent of time taken for information retrieval, cost-benefits and maintenance efficiency compared to the existing solutions. The findings would benefit data owners and providers in sharing their spatial datasets while minimising the drawbacks. The study has proven that proper construct, control and management of multi-scale spatial datasets would undoubtedly encourage and expedite data sharing among respective data owners, agencies, stakeholders and public users. The study could be extended by improving data sharing standards, implementing scale unique ID in spatial databases and single viewer for 3D city models
Constructive alignment in designing 1st year introduction to engineering-industrial seminar and profession integrated course using student centred learning approaches
No full textThe Introduction to Engineering (ITE) course is designed to stimulate students' passion, strengthen their motivation, as well as enhancing their technical knowledge and relevant professional skills. ITE course is integrated with an Industrial Seminar and Profession (ISP) course to support the inclusion of stakeholders by inviting them to give presentations and bringing students for related site visits. Although the ISP is a one-credit course, it is very important to plan and execute the activities hand-in-hand with the ITE course. Both ITE and ISP courses have multiple sections, in which 5 sections are running parallel. As such, lecturers work together from planning, implementation, and assessment. This study describes the design and implementation of integrated cooperative problem-based learning (CPBL) activities shared between the ITE and ISP courses. The design approach follows the formative assessment principal to improve student learning. The integrated CPBL implemented is aligned constructively to ensure achievement of both the course and program learning outcomes. Data collected through observation, written work and reflection journal showed the implementation has positive impact on students' understanding of technical knowledge and in enhancing relevant professional skills. Furthermore, much time and effort were saved when lecturers work in collaboration towards achieving common goals. Based on the potential of the integrated CPBL approach in promoting effective learning, future work could be done in incorporating the approach across other courses in the program
Task migration optimization for improved dark silicon many-core systems performance under thermal constraint
Get PDFContemporary thermally-constrained techniques for optimizing dark silicon many-core system performance do not use dynamic thermal management efficiently and do not consider the wake-up latency of dark cores. This thesis proposes two improved techniques to overcome these limitations. First is a dynamic thermal-aware performance optimization (DTaPO) technique for dark silicon many-core systems. DTaPO optimizes dark silicon many-core system performance under thermal constraint. The proposed technique utilizes both task migration and dynamic voltage frequency scaling (DVFS) to optimize the performance of a many-core system while keeping the system temperature at a safe operating limit. Task migration puts hot cores in lowpower states and moves tasks to cool dark cores to aggressively reduce chip temperature while maintaining high overall system performance. To reduce task migration cold start overhead during task migration, source cores keep their level-2 cache content accessible to the destination cores. Moreover, task migration is limited among cores sharing the last level cache. In the case where task migration cannot be used due to no cool dark core destinations being available, DVFS is used to gradually cool the hot cores by reducing their frequency. Second, a prediction-based early wake-up (PEW) technique for dark cores is proposed to reduce the impact of dark core wake-up latency during the task migration process. An online sliding window-based ridge regression is used as the prediction model. In real-time, the prediction model uses the previous thermal, power, and core status (i.e., active or dark) to predict the subsequent temperature of each core . If task migration is expected to be used in the next control period, PEW puts the dark cores in a power state with low wake-up latency. Thus, it reduces the time needed by the dark cores to start running the migrating tasks, which improves the many-core system’s overall performance. Experimental results show that DTaPO improves the system’s performance by up to 80% compared to the Optimal Sprinting Patterns technique and reduces the temperature by up to 13.6 °C. Moreover, the comparison results show that the proposed PEW reduces the application execution time by up to 7.9% and 4.1% compared to DTaPO and the fixed-threshold wake-up (FEW) technique, respectively. It also shows that the proposed PEW increases the energy-efficiency by up to 5.5% and 2.3% MIPS/W over DTaPO and FEW, respectively