26 research outputs found
The Lass of Gowrie
Get PDFCourtship of two people in Gowrie (Scotland)https://egrove.olemiss.edu/kgbsides_uk/1346/thumbnail.jp
Impact of Total Quality Management (TQM) and Sun Tzu Art of War strategies on Sustainable Competitive Advantage (SCA): A study of Malaysian manufacturing industries
No full textIn recent years there were many studies, both internationally and locally, suggesting that the adaptation and implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) is likely to improve an organization’s competitive posit ion. Hence, a considerable amount of literatures available have examined the relationship between TQM and factors like quality performance, business performance, marketing performance, job satisfaction etc. Little is known, however, on the ability of TQM to sustain a competitive advantage in the context of Malaysian manufacturing organizations. One of the objectives of this study is to examine the relationship between TQM and Sustainable Competitive Advantage (SCA) in Malaysian manufacturing organizations. Using the literatures and previous studies as a base, this study has sought the valuable knowledge, ideas and feedback from the practitioners as well as the academicians in formulating the appropriate and suitable dimensions for Total Quality Management for Malaysian manufacturing industries. This study operationalizes Sun Tzu Art of War strategies (STAW), the ancient Chinese art of war which can be applied to the modern business operations. The relationship between TQM and STAW is also explored considering that there is a lack of literature establishing the link between TQM and Sun Tzu Art of War strategies. Further, the mediating role of Sun Tzu Art of War strategies in the relationship between TQM and SCA is also explored. Large numbers of studies involving TQM have dealt with organizations in the western world. This study therefore, provides a useful reference about the combined effects of TQM and Sun Tzu Art of War strategies and their ability to sustain a competitive advantage in Malaysian manufacturing industries
Critical Success Factors For Implementing E-Procurement: A Case Study On SKF Bearing Industries (M) Sdn Bhd
No full textThis paper focuses on identifying critical success factors of SKF Bearing Industries (M) sdn Bhd (SKF) that enable successful implementation and utilization of sound e-procurement solutions. This study will lead to formulation of a strategy for E-procurement, which includes, opportunities to reduce the costs of goods and services through aggregating purchasing volume and to further streamline purchasing procedures
A critical examination of forging ‘industry-driven’ partnerships in Malaysian TVET institutions
Get PDFEspousing the sequential exploratory design, this study aims to propose industry-driven
TVET (Technical Education Vocational and Training) partnership strategies between the
local industries and TVET institutions (Higher Education Institutions) in Malaysia.
According to The Star (2023), the Malaysian TVET enrolment rate was at 6.1% compared to
Singapore (23.8%), Indonesia (12.8) and South Korea (14.2%) and cannot be perceived as a
convincing rate. The dip in student enrolment rates, archaic teaching and learning
pedagogical approaches, and hesitance from the industrial sector to participate in TVET
partnerships pose impediments to the growth of the Malaysian TVET program. Via these
partnership strategies, it is anticipated that TVET students will be able to hone their
capabilities to respond to the skills requirements required by the industry to boost
productivity and profitability. Anchored on the Triple Helix Model of Innovation, the study
began inductively to explore the viewpoints of seventeen respondents using the semi-structured interview technique to discover emerging TVET partnership strategies applying
the reflexive thematic analysis approach. Consequently, five themes, (1) curriculum design
and delivery collaboration, (2) mentor-mentee relationship, (3) research and development
collaboration, (4) infrastructural collaboration and (5) joint promotional activities were
identified. These five themes and self-determined pedagogical approach were then
quantitatively validated and generalized using structured questionnaires distributed to
medium and large industries in Malaysia. The collected data was statistically assessed using
the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique to evaluate the path significance and the
moderating effect of self-determined learning (heutagogy). All direct paths were found to be
significant. However, heutagogy was found to significantly moderate the relationship
between mentor-mentee relationship and the successful fulfilment of industry skills
requirements. In theory, this research highlights the pertinent role of the Triple Helix Model
in proportioning the function of the industries, institutes and the government, while also
accentuating the viability of heutagogy in the Malaysian context. In practice, the study
provides an impetus to the government to vigorously implement an ‘industry-driven TVET’
strategy to successfully achieve the Malaysian TVET agenda
Recruitment process outsourcing: A case study in Malaysia
No full textPurpose
– The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the conduct of recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), based on a real-life case study of one company in Malaysia. The paper analyses the company’s process of recruitment outsourcing from beginning to end, in three sections: RPO decision, RPO implementation and RPO outcome.
Design/methodology/approach
– The case study was carried out through semi-structured interviews with relevant respondents, including the country HR manager, the HR staff and operation managers in the organisation, plus with the RPO provider
Recruitment process outsourcing:a case study in Malaysia
No full textPurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the conduct of recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), based on a real-life case study of one company in Malaysia. The paper analyses the company’s process of recruitment outsourcing from beginning to end, in three sections: RPO decision, RPO implementation and RPO outcome.Design/methodology/approachThe case study was carried out through semi-structured interviews with relevant respondents, including the country HR manager, the HR staff and operation managers in the organisation, plus with the RPO provider.FindingsThe key findings, from a theoretical and academic viewpoint, are that RPO decisions and implementation cannot be fully or properly explained by one theory, but are better explained by integrating transaction cost economics, the resource-based view and the Agency Theory. The study also highlights the importance of involving end users in the RPO process.Research limitations/implicationsWhile this single case study gives a clear, in-depth insight into the issues in this particular instance, future research extending to a wider range of organisations would serve to expand the findings and provide more generalisable results.Practical implicationsPractitioners and service providers should be able to draw valuable lessons from the experience of Tech-solution, particularly from the different perceptions and levels of satisfaction about the service provider’s performance between internal HR and the internal end users (operation managers).Originality/valueThis paper provides a specific and detailed analysis of RPO implementation in practice. It also addresses the call for more RPO outsourcing-specific research in the extant literature
Creditworthiness and access to finance:a study of SMEs in the Malaysian manufacturing industry
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this study is to empirically assess the relationship between the dimensions of creditworthiness and access to finance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia, with creditworthiness as the mediating variable. The lack of empirical research on the relationship between creditworthiness and access to finance forms the motivation of this study.Design/methodology/approach: Questionnaires covering various characteristics of the firms, their access to finance and creditworthiness were distributed to a total of 456 SMEs in the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor region for this purpose. A total of 158 responses were returned, of which 145 were usable responses and the relationships are tested using SEM-PLS.Findings: This study finds that an SME and its owner’s character have significant influences on access to finance. An SME’s condition and its ability to provide high quality collateral are found to be highly significant in influencing its access to finance. Capacity is significant but its significance is low, while capital is insignificant. Creditworthiness has a significant positive influence on access to finance.Originality/value: This study contributes to the important yet under-researched issue of access to finance for SMEs. It highlights the issue of character of applicant as an important dimension of creditworthiness that can significantly influence access to finance for SMEs.</p
Assessing the role of psychology, cognitive attribute and opportunity in determining retirement planning behaviour
No full textPurposeThis study examines the interrelationships among future time perspective (FTP), retirement goal clarity (RGC), financial knowledge (FK) and income stability in shaping retirement planning behaviour.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through survey-based questionnaires distributed to individuals aged 20 years and older. We employed partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyse the data and test our hypotheses. FindingsOur findings indicate no significant direct relationship between FTP and RPB. FK has a marginal direct relationship with RPB. However, an indirect relationship is significant for both FTP and FK through the mediating effect of RGC. Hence, RGC is the primary mechanism that translates capacity into planning behaviour. Income stability significantly and negatively influences RPB. Subsample analyses reveal that FTP, RGG and RPB remain consistent across all subgroups, while the direct effects of FK and income stability vary across different subgroups.Originality/valueOur study adds to the understanding of retirement planning in developing economies with different economic, social, and cultural dynamics compared to developed nations. We also integrate Hershey et al.’s (2013) capacity, willingness and opportunity model and Beach's (1998) image theory to analyse the interrelationships between psychological, cognitive and situational factors affecting RPB
The Lass o\u27 Gowrie
Get PDFA woman gives her consent to be married.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/kgbsides_uk/2126/thumbnail.jp
Creditworthiness and access to finance of SMEs in Malaysia:do linkages with large firms matter?
No full textPurpose: This study investigates the influence of inter-firm linkages between small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and large firms on the relationship between an SME's creditworthiness and its access to finance. Design/methodology/approach: Survey questionnaire was distributed to 456 SMEs in the manufacturing sector in the Selangor and Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur regions and a total of 145 useable responses were gathered. Investigation into the possible differences in the effect of creditworthiness – and its dimensions – on access to finance for SMEs with and without linkages are examined using Partial Least Squares-Multi Group Analysis (PLS-MGA).Findings: It is found that the relationship between creditworthiness and access to finance is significant for both SMEs with and without links to large firms. However, no significant difference is found in the effect of creditworthiness on access to finance for both types of SME. Further analysis on the five different dimensions of creditworthiness shows statistically significant differences between SMEs with links and those without for the dimensions of collateral and condition. This implies that alliances formed between SMEs and large firms do not have much of an influence on the overall creditworthiness but do influence the collateral and condition of the SME.Originality/value: This study contributes to the understanding of the effects of interfirm linkages on SME creditworthiness and access to finance. To the authors' knowledge no such study has been conducted on links between SMEs and large firms, especially in a developing country such as Malaysia.</p
