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Strategic Orientation Influence on SMEs Export Performance in Nigeria: Measurement Validation and Preliminary Analysis
Get PDFThis research is aimed at enhancing comprehension and validation of the variables that drive the export performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. Notwithstanding the paucity of evidence regarding the export experiences of SMEs from developing countries in the literature, studying the SME setting is crucial, given its growing significance in enhancing national and global economies. A survey design was used to gather data from owners and managers of Nigerian SMEs that were involved in exports. Based on convenience sampling, 450 questionnaires were distributed. Of this number, 278 valid responses were returned. The study model was assessed via partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS SEM), and the statistical package for social science (SPSS v24) was used for preliminary analysis. The results seem to suggest that the seven-construct measurements—entrepreneurial orientation, market orientation, learning orientation, export orientation, export knowledge, access to finance, and export performance—are well suited for estimating the variables under investigation in a Nigerian setting. Similarly, the direct relationship between the exogenous and endogenous constructs was positive and significant. The outcomes validated applying the dynamic capability view and its principles to explain the success of the export performance of SMEs in Nigeri
Ensuring Sustainable Waqf-Zakat Microtakaful Protection Through a System Dynamics Approach
Get PDFThe Islamic fnancial ecosystems, such as zakat and waqf, have roles in tackling poverty and can be integrated into providing fnancial protection, such as death benefts to the poor through microtakaful. However, unpredictable payouts and irregular contributions can hinder the implementation of microtakaful, affecting cash fows. This paper employs a system dynamics approach to simulate the cash fows of microtakaful funds, emphasizing the infuence of three key factors: the rate of new participants, the mortality rate, and the contribution rate. Note that this approach is chosen for its ability to model complex systems and predict the behavior of microtakaful funds over time. The data collected were from various institutions, including the Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (LIAM), the Central Bank of Malaysia (BNM), and the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) from 2018 to 2020. The model indicates a minimum contribution rate of RM130 per year, with a 2% mortality rate and 0.8% annual increase in the new participants. The model serves as a foundation for designing a simple and understandable non-proft microtakaful produc
Impact of Celebrity Endorsements on Sales Performance: A Study of the Beverage Industry in Ghana
Get PDFExploring Personal Resources and its Relationship with Work Engagement: A Systematic ReviewThe study investigates the impact of celebrity endorsements on the sales performance of the beverage industry in Ghana, specifically focusing on the dimensions of celebrity credibility, popularity, and acceptance as key measures of the effectiveness of such endorsements. It addresses a notable gap in the literature by providing a clearer understanding of the factors firms can utilize to assess the strengths and weaknesses of potential celebrity endorsers in the Ghanaian context, particularly within the beverage industry. Data were collected from 100 respondents selected from the beverage industry. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) and partial least squares (PLS) to explore the relationships between variables. The findings reveal significant relationships between celebrity endorsements and sales performance, confirming the importance of considering popularity and credibility as critical measures in selecting celebrity endorsers to promote products. Based on the analyses and interpretations, the study recommends that firms intensify their use of popularity and credibility, along with attention to the acceptance of celebrities, to promote their products and safeguard brand image effectivel
Rural Youth Entrepreneurial Aspiration: An Assessment of TPB and Self-Efficacy
Get PDFThis study examines the factors influencing entrepreneurial intention among rural youth in Malaysia, focusing on the roles of attitude, perceived behavioural control, subjective norms, and self-efficacy within the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Hence, TPB framework is proposed to be applied into rural contexts, it explores how self-efficacy interacts with psychological and social factors to shape entrepreneurial aspirations This study employed a quantitative approach, where valid data from 346 respondents were collected through an electronic survey over eight weeks. The subsequent analysis conducted with SPSS 24 and SmartPLS 4.0, tested ten proposed hypotheses. The findings reveal significant positive correlations between all three attitudinal factors (attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control) and entrepreneurial intention, with self-efficacy identified as a key mediator. Despite potential reservations about entrepreneurship, rural youth with higher self-efficacy are more likely to pursue entrepreneurial activities, emphasizing the importance of self-belief in fostering entrepreneurial success. The study highlights managerial implications, advocating for targeted self-efficacy enhancement programs such as entrepreneurship training and mentorship, as well as policies that provide access to resources and support networks tailored to rural youth. However, a limitation of the study is the lack of exploration into strategies for building self-efficacy. Future research should explore innovative methods, such as virtual reality (VR) simulations, to further enhance self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention
Factors Influencing Students Being Deceived in Pyramid Scheme in Malaysia
Get PDFSince the middle of the 20th century, multi-level marketing (MLM) became a way of doing business. Unfortunately, not every MLM opportunity is a legitimate business opportunity. Many pyramid schemes, frauds plotted to part the unwary from their money, are disguised. The syndicate activities behind the MLM had targeted university students to make a profit through participation in their business. Therefore, this study intended to measure the factor that might affect the involvement of students being duped in pyramid schemes, including the ambitious, desire to try, surrounding society, family background, and deceived by advertising. This study examines the relationships between the ambitious with being duped in pyramid schemes. This study employed a quantitative method where a questionnaire is used as a method in the collection of the data. The hypothesized relationships are tested using survey responses from 119 university students in Malaysia. The finding of the study revealed that two determinants had a positive relationship being deceived in pyramid schemes among the students: family background and surrounding society. This study’s findings are able for universities and industries can revise their policies to discern the extent of student involvement in the pyramid scheme businesses and take the initiative to help students who fall into this schem
Parents’ Influence on the Augmented Reality (AR) in Science Subject: Pre-School Education Level
Get PDFVarious technologies and e-learning tools have been adopted in the teaching and learning process. This transformation has affected teachers, students, parents, school management and other stakeholders. This research aims to investigate Malaysian parents’ awareness, attitudes, social influence and willingness in shaping their perception toward the adoption of augmented reality (AR), embedded in science subjects at the level of pre-school education. In this research, 210 parents with children studying in the kindergartens responded to the questionnaire. The Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) is employed in this study to analyze the proposed external factors of the adoption of AR technology in science subjects at pre-school education. The results show that parents’ attitudes and their awareness of AR technology positively affect their perception of adopting AR technolog
Restoration and Segmentation of Old Jawi Manuscripts using Variational Image Inpainting and Active Contour Models
Get PDFOld Jawi Manuscripts (OJM) are crucial to historical studies, offering insights into past societies. However, degradation from mishandling and environmental factors can impair their legibility. To preserve OJM, image inpainting and segmentation are essential for restoring corrupted areas and identifying text. Recently, the Gaussian Regularization Segmentation (GRS) model has shown effectiveness in intensity inhomogeneity grayscale image segmentation, though it was not designed for corrupted OJM images. Therefore, this study aimed to reformulate the GRS model to restore and segment text from real corrupted OJM images. The methodology begins with the incorporation of the Mumford-Shah and Bertalmio inpainting models into the GRS model as new fitting terms, resulting in the Modified Gaussian Regularization Segmentation Mumford-Shah (MGRSM) model and the Modified Gaussian Regularization Segmentation Bertalmio (MGRSB) model, respectively. MATLAB was used to implement these models, and their performance was assessed on 30 corrupted OJM samples from Malay Ethnomathematics Research Group, with expert evaluations and efficiency measured by average elapsed time. The MGRSM model achieved 38.4 percent and 12.4 percent higher overall total scores from experts in terms of segmentation accuracy compared to the GRS and MGRSB models, respectively. While the GRS model is the fastest, the MGRSM model provides superior accuracy, with an average processing time of 9.35 seconds, making it the most optimal for restoring and segmenting OJM images. This approach not only enhances the preservation of historical manuscripts but also provides a practical tool for researchers and historians in safeguarding our cultural heritag
