The moderating roles of organizational culture and learning orientation on the relationship between individual market orientation and job performance / Muhammad Iskandar Hamzah

The scope of this study is focused on business-to-business (B2B) salespeople of financial institutions, often referred to as Relationship Managers (RM). As representatives who represent their firm, RMs' performance is guided by their behaviour pertaining to customer knowledge. Previous researches within the field of knowledge management (KM) emphasized on the organizational knowledge and its application in firms' learning process and performance. Lately, there has been a growing emphasis positioned on both knowledge management and customer relationships, which are referred to as customer knowledge management (CKM). CKM is viewed as an enhancement of KM practices that focuses on the understanding of the customers' needs and wants to build sustained customer relationships. However, little has been known so far on the roles of customer knowledge within individuals' social psychology contexts, where traditional relational marketing activities are the focal areas of research interest compared to IT-driven marketing processes. Furthermore, there are gaps in the literature to empirically support the customer knowledge-oriented behaviour construct at the individual level. Due to the fact that customer knowledge is embedded in both marketing and knowledge management activities, existing and relevant models on market orientation and CKM were reviewed and assimilated to justify the use of the individual market orientation (I-MARKOR) construct, in order to fill such knowledge voids. In this regard, individual market orientation appears to be a manifestation of customer knowledge-based conduct that involves acquisition, dissemination and strategic responses to customer knowledge. Based upon the tenets of Social Cognitive Theory and Knowledge Theory, an empirical model that analyses direct relationship between job performance and individual market orientation variables is established. The moderating roles of organizational culture (external environment) and learning orientation (individual cognitive differences) on the abovementioned relationship are also investigated. Results from a field study involving 539 RMs from 18 banks across the Klang Valley demonstrate evidence for construct validity and reliability. In terms of direct causal-outcome models, five out of nine hypothesized direct relationship between I-MARKOR and job performance variables are found to be significant. In terms of testing the hypothesized contingent relationships, moderated regression analyses were conducted using Hayes' PROCESS macro tool. Among the five moderator constructs, only Adhocracy and Group Culture are found to have moderating effects on the I-MARKOR and job performance links. The statistical findings are further illustrated using conditional effect diagrams via Johnson Neyman technique to visualize and understand whether the interactions are either significant across all values or certain values of the moderating variables. Thus, this research contributes to the existing literature by modelling individual market orientation conduct as predictors of job performance that is contingent upon inculcation of certain cultural values in the workplace. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed to provide insights for future research in this area

SIFAT KUAT BENDING DAN STRUKTUR MIKRO KOMPOSIT CLAY/FLY ASH DENGAAN PEMANASAN BERULANG

Dalam penelitian ini serbuk clay sebagai matriks dan serbuk fly ash sebagai penguat, dalam proses pembuatan spesimen serbuk clay dikalsinasi dengan temperatur 600 oC dan fly ash dengan temperatur 200 oC ditahan selama 20 menit, dan dilanjutkan dengan proses screening  hingga diperoleh ukuran serbuk 75 µm, 63 µm dan 53 µm, kemudian proses pencampuran menggunakan alat mixing selama 2 jam dengan komposisi campuran 25 %, 50 % dan 75 % fraksi berat fly ash. Campuran clay dan fly ash di kompaksi secara uniaxial pressing dengan tekanan 50 MPa. Kemudian disintering dengan variasi temperatur 1100 oC, 1125 oC dan 1150 oC ditahan selama 120 menit dengan laju kenaikan suhu 10 oC permenit. Pengujian yang dilakukan adalah pengujian Bending dan struktur mikro.Hasil pengujian menunjukkan bahwa dngan penambahan serbuk fly ash dan temperatur sintering meningkatkan nilai kuat bending. Hasil dari pegujian bending didapatkan nilai tertinggi yang diperoleh dari pemanasan berulang 3 kali, 5 kali, 7 kali dan 9 kali komposit dengan fly ash 75% fraksi berat dengan temperatur 1150oC yaitu 61.48 MPa pada 9 kali pemanasan sedangkan nilai kekeuatan bending terendah berada pada komposisi fly ash 25% fraksi berat dengan temperatur 1100oC yaitu 36.17 MPa pada 3 kali pemanasan. Kata kunci : clay , fly ash kompaksi uniaksial, sintering, pemanasan berulang, kekuatan bending, struktur mikro

Cyber Hygiene Practices from The Lens of Professional Youth in Malaysia

Researchers have recognized cyber hygiene as an essential factor in reducing cybersecurity breaches. Factors affecting cyber hygiene practices are cyber hygiene knowledge and demographic factors. Inconclusive research has been found to be concerned with the extent of expertise and demographic factors that may affect cyber hygiene practices. This current pilot study aims to diagnose the effect of knowledge and demographic factors on cyber hygiene practices among professional youth in Malaysia. Forty-one usable questionnaires were further analyzed. The result showed no significant differences between demographic factors and cyber hygiene practices; and no significant relationship between knowledge and cyber hygiene practices among professional youth in Malaysia

The influence of managers’ communication styles on employees’ job satisfaction among local and expatriate managers / Abdul Kadir Othman … [et al.]

In today’s borderless business environment, companies are operating in different locations across the globe to ensure that they can gain competitive advantage over their competitors at different countries. To ensure common strategic mission, vision and objectives of the company across the globe, managers from different countries of origin are sent to different countries to equip them with a global mindset in managing the company. The problem is that they have different ways of communication as compared to local managers. These might affect the level of job satisfaction of employees. This study was intended to investigate the influence of different communication styles of expatriate and local managers on employees’ job satisfaction in manufacturing companies in Malaysia. From the analysis of 170 data collected from the employees, the results indicate that telling, selling and joining communication styles of local managers are the significant predictors of employees’ job satisfaction. For expatriate managers, only selling communication style contributes significantly to the level of employees’ job satisfaction. The implications of the study are discussed in detail in the paper

The influence of flexible work arrangement and remuneration on employees’ job satisfaction in private higher education institutions / Abdul Kadir Othman … [et al.]

Job satisfaction is the most common topic of research, but it is still relevant as most problems in the workplace are related to employees’ job satisfaction. The same problem is also prevalent those working in higher educational institutions. Due to this concern, the present study was conducted among 163 academics in private colleges in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. Based on the result of factor analysis, it was found that job satisfaction of academics can be divided into four dimensions; career and salary satisfaction, creativity satisfaction, administration satisfaction and attitudinal satisfaction. Factors that significantly influence the dimensions of job satisfaction are flexible work arrangement, salary and promotion. All these three factors significantly influence career and salary satisfaction and administration satisfaction. Promotion on the other hand leads to creativity satisfaction. And, salary contributes to attitudinal satisfaction. The findings of the study indicate the importance of flexible work arrangement and compensation on academics’ satisfaction, thus, the management should consider these aspects when planning for the work schedule and career development of the academics in the institutions of higher learning

The influence of flexible work arrangement and remuneration on employees’ job satisfaction in private higher education institutions / Abdul Kadir Othman... [et al].]

Job satisfaction is the most common topic of research, but it is still relevant as most problems in the workplace are related to employees’ job satisfaction. The same problem is also prevalent those working in higher educational institutions. Due to this concern, the present study was conducted among 163 academics in private colleges in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. Based on the result of factor analysis, it was found that job satisfaction of academics can be divided into four dimensions; career and salary satisfaction, creativity satisfaction, administration satisfaction and attitudinal satisfaction. Factors that significantly influence the dimensions of job satisfaction are flexible work arrangement, salary and promotion. All these three factors significantly influence career and salary satisfaction and administration satisfaction. Promotion on the other hand leads to creativity satisfaction. And, salary contributes to attitudinal satisfaction. The findings of the study indicate the importance of flexible work arrangement and compensation on academics’ satisfaction, thus, the management should consider these aspects when planning for the work schedule and career development of the academics in the institutions of higher learning

Conceptualizing Muslim Consumer Ethical Behaviour and its Antecedents

Businesses are gradually realizing the importance of corporate social responsibility in securing greater returns in their operations. This approach is intended to create good image for the company subsequently to attract consumers to purchase products or services from that company. The issue now is whether the consumers are ethical or not in their decision to purchase products or services from the company. Ethical consumers will think twice before making their decision to purchase. Within the western world, pertinent issues like human rights, environmental concern, sustainability, intellectual property rights and others are recognized as the major concern for the consumers before making purchase decision. In other parts of the world especially in developing countries, Muslim community is a steadily growing consumer group that should not be rightfully ignored. Studies in the areas of Muslim consumer ethics and purchasing behaviour have still remained relatively unexplored, thus, calling for this research to lessen the gap. The objective of this study is to conceptualize, develop and validate a Muslim consumer ethical model. The expected result of the study is the development of the Muslim consumer ethical model that can be used to identify the determinants of this behaviour. The results will provide deep insights on the right strategies that could be devised by companies based on the model

The Influence of Social Commerce Factors on Customer Intention to Purchase

The rapid development in social commerce creates a new opportunity for businesses. With the use of social technologies they are able to create an environment that is on a socially interactive platform. These social bonds can drive online social support in e-commerce, the result is shown by trusts created and increased intention to use social commerce. This article will examine the factors that triggered consumers’ intention to purchase using social commerce. A total of 184 respondents were chosen for this study to investigate factors that might contribute to customers’ purchasing intention. The findings provide a better understanding on factors that contribute to intention to purchase, which comprise shopping enjoyment, perceived usefulness, trust, security, perceived quality, perceived value, ease of use and transaction convenience. It also suggests that online firms should consider these contextual factors in order to facilitate consumers' adoption behavior

Predicting Purchase Intention of Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Evidence from an Emerging Economy

Dependence on energy-intense transportation systems could escalate the chances of environmental degradation. A shift of transportation modes from conventional vehicles to energy-efficient vehicles is a viable method of mitigating the rate of carbon emissions; however, the adoption rate of environment-friendly vehicles is still low globally and vital to explore. This study aims to investigate the determinants that influence individuals’ intention to purchase hybrid vehicles, through the development of a research model based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, integrated with environmental knowledge as an additional variable. Data were collected from 256 car users across Malaysia’s metropolitan city. The findings augment the rich theoretical basis of the Theory of Planned Behavior by incorporating environmental knowledge as a supplementary variable in assessing individuals’ behaviour in the sustainable transportation domain, which constitutes the novelty value of this study. The outcomes imply the need for governments and practitioners to execute appropriate approaches in nurturing public’s motivation in adopting energy-efficient cars, so that the adoption rate of pro-environmental vehicles can be increased. Overall, this study infers that the adoption of hybrid vehicles is viable if individuals are properly provided with sufficient awareness and education, which subsequently builds trust, empowerment, and confidence in owning these vehicles