Complementary theraphy as an approach in managing occupational stress

Occupational stress is caused by various reasons such as workload and long working hours. Thus, numerous Occupational Safety and Health practitioner have showed a concern towards occupational stress issue and started on promoting mental health awareness at workplace. Meanwhile, there is an occurrence of trend in using wellness activities to treat physical and psychological illness which is known as complementary therapy. It is a type of treatment which can also be described as a non conventional medicine. Some of the examples are Yoga, Aromatherapy, Qi gong, and Islamic Medical Practices (Ruqyah). Therefore, this research offered a perspective on the use of complementary therapies as a tool in improving and maintaining mental health condition of employees. 5 complementary therapy practitioners were interviewed and distributed with questionnaires for this study to satisfy the research objectives on identifying the perceptions towards the use of complementary therapy, to identify what are the type of therapy that can be practiced to reduce stress and how do the therapies affect occupational stress. It is found that complementary therapy is very beneficial as it act as a holistic treatment, natural way of healing and more empowering as it helps to improve employee's mental, emotional and physical health

Leadership and Innovation on Performance of Private Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia

The contribution of private higher education institutions (PHEIs) in Malaysia is important to the higher education industry. Among the roles of PHEIs are providing a pathway to local and international students to the tertiary level of education, contributing towards making Malaysia an international and highly reputable hub for higher education as well as limiting the flow of our intellects to foreign countries. However, there has been a major concern over the performance of PHEIs. Due to the volatility of the higher education landscape, many local PHEIs are facing with serious issues and challenges which affect their organizational self-sustainability. If the issues and challenges are not seriously addressed, it could impede the growth of PHEIs as well as become the barriers to PHEIs to serve their roles in Malaysia higher education sector. This conceptual paper provides some insights into the issues and challenges of PHEIs in Malaysia. It also identified leadership and innovation as the critical success factors for PHEIs organizational self-sustainability and proposed that these two independent variables are tested in future research

Kesediaan menceburi kerjaya usahawan di kalangan pelajar IPTA Malaysia

Keusahawanan adalah satu bidang yang penting kepada sesebuah negara. Ianya berfungsi sebagai pemangkin kepada pertumbuhan ekonomi dan dapat memberikan peluang pekerjaan kepada penduduk setempat Kerjaya usahawan adalah penting kerana usahawan adalah individu yang bertanggung jawab menjayakan aktiviti keusahawanan melalui penubuhan entiti. Manakala negara yang mempunyai bilangan usahawan yang ramai dapat mewujudkan satu masyarakat yang dinamik dan mempunyai daya saing yang tinggi. Pembangunan modal insan perlu mengambil kira elemen keusahawanan kerana ianya perlu dimiliki oleh semua lapisan masyarakat tanpa mengira kerjaya dan bidang yang diceburi. Oleh itu adalah sangat perlu mewujudkan sumber manusia yang mempunyai keinginan dan sikap keusahawanan. Salah satu pendekatan yang digunakan dalam membangunkan sumber manusia ini oleh negara maju ialah menerusi pendidikan dan latihan keusahawanan. Dengan ini satu kajian telah dijalankan bagi mengenal pasti tahap kesediaan pelajar IPTA untuk menceburkan diri dalam kerjaya usahawan. Data daripada kajian tinjauan ke atas pelajar sarjana muda di empat buah IPTA di Malaysia telah dikumpulkan menggunakan Soal selidik Kesediaan Keusahawanan Pelajar IPT. Kesediaan pelajar dilihat daripada aspek pilihan kerjaya sebagai usahawan dan alasan untuk menceburi bidang keusahawanan atau sebaliknya. Kesediaan sikap diukur menggunakan 62 item yang melihat kesediaan sikap daripada aspek inovasi, kawalan diri, pencapaian, harga diri, toleransi kekaburan dan kawalan risiko. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa sebanyak 46.7 peratus pelajar berkeinginan untuk menjadi usahawan atas pelbagai alasan seperti minat,inginkan ganjaran serta pelbagai alasan lain. Dapatan tinjauan menunjukkan pelajar IPTA mempunyai tahap kesediaan sikap yang sederhana tinggi secara keseluruhannya. Kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa pelajar IPTA mempunyai keinginan dan kesediaan sikap untuk menjadi usahawan. Oleh yang demikian, pihak yang terlibat dalam pendidikan keusahawanan disarankan dapat menambahkan usaha untuk meningkatkan kesedaran dan membentuk sikap keusahawanan di kalangan pelajar IPTA agar pelajar lebih bersedia menceburi kerjaya sebagai usahawan

Environmentally conscious behavior among Malaysians consumers: an empirical analysis

This paper aims to investigate the influence of demographic and psychographicv variables on environmentally conscious cosumer behavior (ECCB)v in the context of Malaysian consumers. A survey was developed and administered. generating a total sample of 319 respondents across the country. The preliminary results indicated that all of the variables examin ed were significantly correlated to ECCB, expert for income. Later the analysis from the regression highlighted that only age, gender and perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE)were significant predictors to ECCB. The findings confirmed that, in terms of psychographic variables, PCE has been proven to be more accurate and significant determinant than environmental concern (EC) for segmenting and explaining different segments and characteristics of pro-environmental behavior .These findings may assist Malaysian policy makers in formulating actionable decisions related to environmental education and protection.The finding also allows marketers to use marketing and awareness-raising campaigns to encourage consumers to choose environmental friendly products

Complementary Therapy as an Approach in Managing Occupational Stress

Occupational stress is caused by various reasons, such as, workload and long working hours. This leads to occurrence of trend in using wellness activities to treat physical and psychological illness that is known as complementary therapy, which is Yoga, Aromatherapy, Qi gong, and Islamic Medical Practices (Ruqyah). Therefore, this research offered a perspective on the use of complementary therapies as a tool in improving and maintaining mental health condition of employees located in Penang, Malaysia. Qualitative method was used where 5 complementary therapy practitioners were interviewed to identify the perceptions towards the use of complementary therapy and to identify the type of therapy that can be practiced to reduce stress, as well as, discuss the benefits of complementary therapies. It was found that complementary therapy is very beneficial as it acts as a holistic treatment, natural way of healing and more empowering, as it helps to improve employee’s mental, emotional and physical health

Parental involvement in learning environment, social interaction, communication, and support towards children excellence at school

Role and parental involvement are important to produce excellence children in aspects of spiritual and physical. Malaysia Education Blueprint (2013-2025) through SARANA programme has been implemented at schools in Malaysia to increase involvement and participation of parents in giving support towards children excellence. Aim of study is to identify the level of parental involvement and support in learning. Parents Self-Assessment (PSA) has been distributed randomly to 391 parents during parents meeting at schools. Analysis of parental involvement focused on four main domains which are providing learning environment at home, social interaction with children, communication with children and support towards children excellence. Findings showed that providing learning environment at home (mean=0.78, s.d=0.23), social interaction with children (mean=5.40, s.d=1.63), and communication with children (mean=4.68, s.d=1.89) are at higher level mean score, while support towards children excellence show average mean score (mean=3.90, s.d=1.94). Implication of the study, support towards children excellence in praises, encouragement and guidance need to be improved by parents to help the school to increase achievement in education

The trends of academic achievement among Malaysia boys and girl: where are the boys?

Objective – Gender differences in education remain as one of the global issues that has been widely and comprehensively discussed. This study aims at exploring the pattern of academic achievement of boys and girls in Malaysia. Methodology/Technique – The study analyzes the data of student achievement in public examination from 2008 until 2014, which were obtained from the Malaysian Examination Board. Findings – The findings showed that Malaysian girls performed better than Malaysian boys. The findings also showed that there were significant differences in academic achievement between the boys and the girls. Novelty – This study implicated the need to identify the factors causing the achievement gap across genders. Hence, strategies and interventions can be undertaken to reduce the gap

The trend of academic achievement among the Malaysian boys and girls: where are the boys?

Objective – Gender differences in education remain as one of the global issues that has been widely and comprehensively discussed. This study aims at exploring the pattern of academic achievement of boys and girls in Malaysia. Methodology/Technique – The study analyzes the data of student achievement in public examination from 2008 until 2014, which were obtained from the Malaysian Examination Board. Findings – The findings showed that Malaysian girls performed better than Malaysian boys. The findings also showed that there were significant differences in academic achievement between the boys and the girls. Novelty – This study implicated the need to identify the factors causing the achievement gap across genders. Hence, strategies and interventions can be undertaken to reduce the gap

Heavy metal concentrations in an important mangrove palm (Nypa fruticans), in Rembau-Linggi Mangrove Forest (Peninsular Malaysia).

Plants and microorganisms are becoming commonly used worldwide to remediate heavy metal pollution. However, plant species vary in their ability to take up heavy metals or in their tolerance to high concentrations of heavy metals in soils or water. In this study we analyzed heavy metal (cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, and zinc) concentrations in an important mangrove palm in Malaysia: Nypa fruticans. The plant samples as well as samples of surrounding sediment were taken from the Rembau-Linggi mangrove forest in the southwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The results showed that the uptake of heavy metals by the roots of Nypa fruticans was good for all heavy metals except Cu. However, only Zn was easily translocated to the leaves. Therefore, further studies need to be made to determine whether heavy metals such as Cr, Cu and Cd will become more available for uptake by N. fruticans during episodes of increased heavy metal runoffs or pollution into the mangrove forests