The relationship between perception of quality and length of service on integrity among Penang civil servant

Malaysia in its effort to become a fully developed nation by 2020 has undertaken a monumental task in instilling noble values into its society including its civil sector. The integrity of the civil servants needs to be greatly improved in order to turn this vision into a reality. This project attempted to examine the level of awareness, knowledge and understanding on noble values particularly integrity among selected civil servants in selected State Government agencies in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. The respondents were selected based on a purposive sampling technique. The research used a quantitative approach where self-administered structured questions were distributed. Descriptive and inference analysis were carried out to meet the research objectives outlined. The research findings showed that there were civil servants groups who were unclear and uncertain about the meaning of integrity in public sector. Those with shorter length of services were found to be less knowledgeable on the rule and procedure which led to them being unsure about integrity. Length of service was found to be inversely related to the perception on the knowledge of integrity, corruption and quality of service delivery

Perception of Civil Servants on the Knowledge of Integrity and Corruction Level in Three State Agencies in Terengganu, Malaysia

Malaysia in its effort to become a fully developed nation by 2020 has undertaken a monumental task in instilling noble values into its society including its civil sector. The objective of this research was to examine the level of awareness, knowledge and understanding of integrity among selected civil servants of three State agencies in Terenganu, Malaysia, which basically served as the scope of the research. The respondents were selected based on a purposive sampling technique. The research used a quantitative approach where self-administered structured questions were distributed. Descriptive and inference analysis were carried out to meet the research objectives outlined. The research findings indicated that there were civil servants groups who were unclear and uncertain about the meaning of integrity in public sector. Those with shorter length of services were found to be less knowledgeable on the respective rule and procedure which led to them being unsure about integrity. The civil servants also believed that corruption level in Malaysia was still high. The research contended that length of service was inversely related to the perception on the knowledge of integrity, corruption and quality of service delivery.Keywords: Integrity; Civil Servants; Perception; Corruption; Public Sector; Public Service Résumé: Dans l'effort de devenir une nation pleinement développée d'ici à 2020, la Malaisie a entrepris une tâche monumentale pour inculquer des valeurs nobles dans la société, y compris dans le secteur civil. L'objectif de cette recherche était d'examiner le niveau de sensibilisation, de connaissances et de compréhension de l'intégrité des fonctionnaires sélectionnés des trois organismes d'État à Terenganu en Malaisie, qui a essentiellement servi à la portée de la recherche. Les répondants ont été sélectionnés sur la base d'une technique d'échantillonnage raisonnée. La recherche a utilisé une approche quantitative où des questions auto-administrées et structurées ont été distribuées. Des analyses descriptives et inférées ont été réalisées pour répondre aux objectifs énoncés de recherche. Les résultats de la recherche a indiqué qu'il y avait des groupes de fonctionnaires civils qui n'étaient pas claires sur le sens de l'intégrité dans le secteur public. Ceux avec une plus courte durée de services ont été trouvés d'être moins bien informés sur la règle respective et la procédure, ce qui les a donné un doute sur l'intégrité. Les fonctionnaires ont également estimé que le niveau de corruption en Malaisie était toujours élevé. La recherche a fait valoir que la durée de service était liée inversement à la perception de la connaissance de l'intégrité, de la corruption et de la qualité de prestation des services.Mots-clés: intégrité; fonctionnaires; perception; corruption; secteur privé; service publi

Effects of Machiavellianism on Ingratiation in Organizational Settings

Abstract: Influential behaviour has generally been shaped by personality. In organizational research, Machiavellianism has commonly been defined as the need to develop and defend one’s power and success. It is the utilisation of power to incite other people to act or believe in conformity with one’s own principle and a personality disposition that involves manipulative and deceptive intent. Whereas, ingratiation is an influence tactic to obtain favour from somebody by purposeful efforts. It is depicted as subordinates’ improper efforts within an organisation to enhance their interpersonal allure in the eyes of their superior. In other words, the subordinates are attempting to obtain the superior's approval with the aim of attaining favourable perquisites such as promotions and raises. Thus, such influence tactic is more often than not, a reflection of a personality trait found in Machiavellianism. On this premise, this paper elucidates the relationship between Machiavellianism and ingratiatory behaviours of subordinates in organisations. Key words: Machiavellianism; Ingratiation; Employees; Influence; Management Résumé: Les comportements influents ont généralement été façonnés par la personnalité. Dans les recherches organisationnelles, le machiavélisme a souvent été défini comme la nécessité de développer et de défendre le pouvoir et succès de quelqu’un. L'utilisation du pouvoir peut inciter d'autres personnes à agir ou à croire en conformité avec son propre principe et une disposition de personnalité qui implique l'intention manipulatrice et trompeuse. Alors que, la complaisance est une tactique d’influence pour obtenir la faveur de quelqu'un par des efforts constructifs. Elles sont considérées comme des efforts incorrects des subordonnés au sein d'une organisation pour améliorer leur allure interpersonnelles aux yeux de leur supérieur. En d'autres termes, les subordonnés tentent d'obtenir l'approbation du supérieur dans le but d'atteindre les avantages indirects favorables telles que la promotion et l’augmentation de salaire. Ainsi, ce genre de tactique d’influence est souvent un reflet d'un trait de personnalité trouvé dans le machiavélisme. Sur ce prémisse, ce document met en lumière la relation entre le machiavélisme et les comportements de complaisance des subordonnés dans les organisations. Mots clés: Machiavélisme; Complaisance; Employés; Influence; Gestio

Knowledge and perception of integrity among Penang civil servants

The integrity of the civil servants needs to be greatly improved in order to turn Malaysian Vision 2020 into a reality. This objective of this research was to determine the level of awareness, knowledge and understanding on noble values particularly integrity among selected civil servants in selected State Government agencies in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. The respondents were selected based on a purposive sampling technique. The research used a quantitative approach where self-administered structured questions were distributed. Descriptive and inference analysis were carried out to meet the research objectives outlined. The research findings showed that there were civil servants groups who were unclear and uncertain about the meaning of integrity in public sector. Those with shorter length of services were found to be less knowledgeable on the rule and procedure which led to them being unsure about integrity. Length of service was found to be inversely related to the perception on the knowledge of integrity, corruption and quality of service delivery. In this research, respondents might or might have not disclosed the actual truth when answering questions. Most heads of departments might have not wanted to disclose actual work realities of their offices. They, in particular, did not want to wash their dirty linen in public. For that reason, future research may improve on such limitation

The perception of integrity of three public agencies in Kuala Terengganu

Malaysia in its effort to become a fully developed nation by 2020 has undertaken a monumental task in instilling noble values into its society including its civil sector. The integrity of the civil servants needs to be greatly improved in order to turn this vision into a reality. This project attempted to examine the level of awareness, knowledge and understanding on noble values particularly integrity among selected civil servants in selected State Government agencies in Terenganu, Malaysia. The respondents were selected based on a purposive sampling technique. The research used a quantitative approach where self-administered structured questions were distributed. Descriptive and inference analysis were carried out to meet the research objectives outlined. The research findings showed that there were civil servants groups who were unclear and uncertain about the meaning of integrity in public sector. Those with shorter length of services were found to be less knowledgeable on the rule and procedure which led to them being unsure about integrity. Length of service was found to be inversely related to the perception on the knowledge of integrity, corruption and quality of service delivery. For that reason, future research should identify the causes that will lead to enhancement of perception of integrity

Motivation Model for Employee Retention: Applicability to HRM Practices in Malaysian SME Sector

In the Vision 2020, Malaysian government aims at achieving a developed nation status by the year 2020. To realize the vision, the country needed the support and motivation from all Malaysians. Hence, human resource management (HRM) plays an important role for the said vision since it is a significant capital in the operation of an organization. For Malaysian entrepreneurial firms, it is crucial to retain their employees in order to achieve their ultimate goal i.e. maximizing profits. Such small, growthoriented firms are considered vulnerable to lose even one key employee because it may aggravate extensive consequences and, at the extreme, may imperil exertions to attain organizational objectives. Employee retention becomes a vital human capital objective for entrepreneurial companies which are seeking to grow and capture market share. Motivation is essential in leading the employees towards achieving organizational goals besides fostering the organizational commitment. Such organizational attachment and motivation has implications for whether an employee will opt for remaining with the organization or not. With HRM, the human resource (HR) model would regard humans as being inspired by an intricate collection of interconnected aspects, such as recognition, interpersonal relation, and desire for meaningful work. HR managers must endeavour to redesign the job to be more varied and decentralized in order to encourage sovereignty among employees. Therefore, motivation model is relevant to be employed in HRM practices for employee retention. This paper is primarily based on literature review. Extensive literature study is used to identify relevant information and references. This paper intends to elucidate one particular issue with regards to Malaysian SMEs which is employee retention and in more specifically, this study will aim to produce a model for employee retention conjoining it with organizational strategies, organizational culture and benefits factors. To attain this aim, the two-factor, or motivation-hygiene theory (Herzberg, 1968) was taken as the basic foundation.Key words: Motivation-hygiene; Vital human capital; Sovereignity; JEL Codes: C11, J1

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication