Entrepreneurial spirit and self-efficacy askey factors for technology entrepreneur new venture creation

Technology entrepreneur new venture creation (TENVC) plays an important role in developing and commercializing technologies worldwide.Yet, one of the critical and on-going debates is between the paradigm shifts from trait approach to the behavioral approach which emerge from what successful entrepreneurs do and how they perform, rather than what their personality traits. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to study both entrepreneurial spirit and self-efficacy as key factors for TENVC.Mixed methods research was employed combining quantitative and qualitative approach.The samples were chosen based on convenience sampling for quantitative study and judgment sampling for qualitative study.The finding shows that both entrepreneurial spirit and self-efficacy are correspondingly important for TENVC among technical students and IHLs.There is only small different value of their positive significant relationship lead by self-efficacy compared to entrepreneurial spirit with r=.005 and r=.004 for both TENVC of technical students and current status of TENVC in IHLs.This finding is convergent with the outcome from the case study analysis that both factors are among the key indicators for TENVC of technical student and the current status of TENVC in IHLs.The technology entrepreneur development organizations (TEDO) may utilize this result in developing TENVC in their institution

Key influencing factors for technopreneur development and incubation program

Technopreneurial potential of graduates has become one of the national agenda and has been attracting the interest of policy makers, educationists and development agencies. In Malaysia, the numbers of graduate students participate in technopreneur development and incubation programs (TEDIP) are still far below the expectation and financial allocation by the government. This study aims to identify the key influencing factors among participants to participate and to remain in the TEDIP, also to construct new theories that contribute to the knowledge on technopreneur development (TED).Mix method research was applied in the study.The samples were chosen based sampling frame which comprise Master of Science Technopreneurship participants in Malaysian IHLs for quantitative study; and judgment sampling i.e. government and Malaysian IHLs key informants for the qualitative study.The result highlighted Seven (7) primary factors and Ten (10) secondary factors that have influenced the TEDIP participants to participate, as well as Eighteen (18) primary factors to remain in the program.On the basis of finding, the model developed will hopefully help the TED organization to increase the number of participants in TEDIP.The policy makers and the TED agencies may utilize this result to develop further TED program in the country

Conceptual framework for service quality and adjustments towards international students' satisfaction in Malaysia universities

Internationalization is a complex phenomenon in the field of higher education. Besides that, it is one of the important transformation processes of developing countries towards globalization. Generally, Malaysia is fast becoming one of the main education attractions among the international students from other countries around the world. International student enrolments make a vital economic contribution to universities in the whole region of the world.Delivering the high level of service quality is critically important in order to generate and maintaining loyal customers.Thus, exceptional levels of service quality lead to satisfy customers that may recommend the product or service among their friends.Student satisfaction has been one of the ‘core’ factors in retaining and attracting international students in the context of educational institutions. Satisfied students will help to attract more potential future customers (new students) to the institutions/universities through positive word of mouth (WOM) communication, increased students’ loyalty and the good image of the higher education institution.However, to satisfy the customers from different background and different culture will be even more difficult.Adjusting to a new culture can be so challenging and stressful experience for international students. Racial discrimination, language problems, accommodation difficulties, dietary restrictions, financial problems, and loneliness are the common and unique problems that they faced when they were in the host countries. Therefore, this paper proposes a model that links service quality, adjustments and international students’ satisfaction in Malaysian universities. Implication for future research, discussion and overall conclusion are also presented at the end of the paper

Examining the Role of Social Network on Opportunity Recognition: A Propose Framework

The fundamental activity of entrepreneurship is new venture creation.Therefore, one of the major components of any entrepreneurial venture is the recognition of the opportunity by the entrepreneur.Identifying and selecting the right opportunities for new venture are among the most significant abilities of successful entrepreneur. Hence, explaining the discovery and development of opportunities per se is a key part of entrepreneurship research.This paper builds on the existing theoretical background of opportunity recognition and aimed at investigating the role of entrepreneur’s prior social network towards bridging to information sources that would help entrepreneurs recognizing opportunity

Technopreneur education and incubation: Designing IT technopreneurship graduate program

This paper describes the design of a post-graduate program in Information Technology (IT) Technopreneurship that blends practice with theory with the primary objective of producing successful graduate IT technopreneurs. The program is designed based on close partnership between the university, the industry, and the government to ensure young and intelligent IT enthusiasts to obtain the necessary entrepreneurship knowledge and skills as well as to provide initial seed capital and adequate funding for start-offs. With the close industry linkage, business opportunities will be made available for the young technopreneuer to gain experience and exposure in the real-life environment as well as fulfilling part of the industry’s social obligation and support. The duration of the program is four semesters or two years leading to the Masters of Science in IT Technopreneurship. The program consists of four components i.e.; Self Development and Competencies through specialized technopreneurship development training, University-Industrial Linkage and intensive incubation phase to develop and commercialize IT products, Knowledge and Skill on IT and Business through Teaching Factory and Mentoring and/or solutions using the concept of Continuous Supportive System. Candidates will be selected among those who graduated with at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. They will have to go through a screening process in the form of an interview and aptitude test in order to get the right participants with the right attitude, having entrepreneurship characteristics, and those who possess high motivation, perseverance and interest. Major part of the curriculum are Core IT, Core Entrepreneurship, Experiential Learning and Development. One of the criteria for graduation is students will have to secure a total sales of not less than RM100,000

Enterprise information architecture: Empirical evidence to support Zachman Framework in Malaysia

The paper aims to describe findings based on a research study on current Enterprise Information Architecture (EIA) implementation in Malaysia. Ten enterprises from public and private sectors were chosen for case study analysis. The Zachman Framework was chosen as a guideline to assess the current practice of EIA in five of these enterprises. The study found that certain aspects of the framework were nor addressed at all, whilst other aspects that were addressed vary in terms of the different perspectives. The paper highlights gaps in the current practice and provides recommendations and suggestions for enterprises to consciously embark on the EIA paradigm in order to better align the whole enterprise to the goals of the enferprise

Enterprise Information Architecture (EIA): Assessment of current practices in Malaysian organizations

In this paper we described the findings based on a research study on current Enterprise Information Architecture (EIA) practices in Malaysian organizations. Ten organizations from public and private sectors were chosen for case study analysis. The Zachman Framework was chosen as a guideline to assess the current practice of EIA in these organizations. This study had successfully investigated the current practice and conditions of EIA in selected public and private organizations in Malaysia. The study found that majority of the organizations do practice some kind of enterprise information architecture either in-house or outsource to third parties.The study also found that certain aspects of the framework were not addressed at all, whilst other aspects that were addressed vary in terms of the different perspectives. This gives a general outlook of EIA implementation in the selected organizations, which could be incomplete or not adequately addressed. The study revealed a poor knowledge and understanding of EIA among the organizations though there had been efforts at implementing EIA focusing on the Data, Function and Network architectures. The study discovered gaps in the current practice and provides suggestions for organizations to consciously embark on the EIA paradigm in order to better align the whole organization to its goals. Results of this study can be used by the government and private sectors to formulate new policies and guidelines on enterprise architecture so that the enterprise’s IT adoption and information requirements fit nicely into its business strategy

School youth entrepreneur program in Kubang Pasu Kedah

Studies have shown that countries with many entrepreneurs are more developed.Therefore, exposure to entrepreneurship knowledge should be encouraged from the school at an early stage i.e. primary level.However, the existing entrepreneurial programs have less impact on adolescents. In addition, the problem of unemployment among youth after SPM deepened, especially among high-risk youth, whereas students have the potential to contribute to the local community in particular and the country in general.Thus, the School Youth Entrepreneur Program (PURSe) has been designed to help address the problem.The objective of this program is to create awareness about the importance of entrepreneurship, enculturation of school students with hands-on entrepreneurship and cultivate the aspirations of entrepreneurship as a career choice among students after graduation. In this program students are exposed to the concept of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial activities by combining theory and practice through training, consultation and close monitoring.The program consists of six phases and adds value to existing entrepreneurship programs in schools through hands-on entrepreneurial activities.It has succeeded in creating entrepreneurial awareness and competence among school youth, start-up micro businesses in and outside the school and managed to build human capital by developing entrepreneurship characteristics and positive attitude of school youth such as leadership, integrity, commitment, desire, realistic, teamwork skills and self-confidence

The roles of a university in sustaining telecentre implementation: The case of Kg. Oran, Perlis

This report is based on a case study of a typical rural village in Malaysia, Kampong Oran in Perlis, with the aim to present and propose numerous roles that can be effectively deployed by institutions of higher learning to the rural areas as part of the initiative to bridge the digital divide. This effort can also be seen as a social responsibility coming from academic institutions in extending their knowledge and expertise to reach the under served communities in the rural and remote areas of the country, in line with the government’s Rural Transformation Program that was launched recently.The idea is to bring the experts and knowledgeable people as well as students in numerous disciplines to be within reach of the less educated, largely poor and less fortunate community using information, communication and technology as a platform.The advent of ICT and pervasiveness of the internet has made it possible for rural communities, including Kampong Oran, to reap the benefits of the information explosion. This is made possible through the implementation of a telecentre within the vicinity of a local mosque, a place of worship and congregations of the largely Malay community in the area.However, despite the ICT access and opportunity to gain information, due to over-abundance of information readily available, it is difficult to fine-tune and focus those information that are of interest to the community. This has made the tasks of getting the IHL support to match against the interests of the community even harder. Therefore the case study in which this report is based on was conducted to identify the community requirements in their implementation of the telecentre, to identify the roles of the IHL in order to make the matching possible, and ultimately to propose a model of IHL collaboration vis-à-vis implementation of the telecentre. Methods of data gathering included the administration of questionnaires in the form of surveys to members of the community by means of a purposive sampling in a community gathering event commemorating an ICT Open Day.Apart from this, interviews were also conducted to members of the village management committee, mosque community, and selected individuals representing members of the community. Students were also deployed to assist the researchers as informants and formed part of their course project.The purpose is to identify the community profile and demography, ICT knowledge and skills, requirements of the telecentre, as well as the community’s information needs. On the roles of the IHL, series of brainstorming sessions were conducted amongst the members of the research team, ITU-UUM officials and fellows to identify the strengths and domain areas of UUM.The intention is to propose the types of info-mediation, content development, and value creation that can be applied to benefit the community of Kampong Oran based on their information needs. In terms of information needs, results of this study found that the top five most popular information needs identified by the community are Education, Healthcare, Current News/Sports, Religion, and Information Sources.A model of IHL Collaboration in Telecentre Implementation was created to represent the interplay between the roles of the IHLs and the community information needs through the implementation of the telecentre.It is the hope that this model would contribute to other similar rural communities in the country that is in need of intellectual engagement in terms of advisory services, local content development, and socio-economic value creation that would enable ever-lasting sustainability of their existing telecentre