The Role of Mentoring Program in Enhancing Mentees’ Academic Performance

According to institutions of higher learning literature, mentoring program has two important features: communication and support. The ability of mentors to appropriately implement comfortable communication and provide adequate support may ehance positive mentee outcomes, especially academic performance. Although the nature of this relationship is crucial, little is known about the role of mentoring program as an important predictor of mentees’ academic performance in the higher education mentoring research literature. Therefore, this study was conducted to measure the relationship between mentoring program and mentees’ academic performance using self-administered questionnaires gathered from undergraduate students in Malaysian institutions of higher learning in Sarawak. The results of SmartPLS path model showed two important outcomes: firstly, communication positively and significantly correlated with academic performance. Secondly, support positively and significantly correlated with academic performance. The result demonstrates that mentoring program does act as an important predictor of mentees’ academic performance in the organizational sample. Thus, discussion, implications and conclusion are elaborated

Effect of Management of Performance Reward Systems on Subordinates' Satisfaction with Job in Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department

This research was to measure the correlation between management of performance reward systems on subordinates' satisfaction towards the job. A survey method was utilized to collect data from subordinates who worked at the headquarters of fire and rescue departments in Malaysia. The outcomes of SmartPLS path model analysis display two important findings. First, the implementation of information delivery and performance assessment in handling performance reward systems have enhanced subordinates' intrinsic job satisfaction, but the implementation ofinvolvement hypothesized performance reward systems has not enhanced subordinates' intrinsic job satisfaction. Second, implementation of information delivery, involvement and performance assessment in handling performance reward systems have also enhanced subordinates' extrinsic job satisfaction

Physico-mechanical properties of polymer concrete containing micro-filler of palm oil fuel ash

Objective of this study is to present a research conducted on ground (fine) and unground (coarse) POFA in polymer concrete (PC) followed by determination on the physico-mechanical properties of PC. Physical properties of micro-fillers and mechanical properties of produced PCs were characterized. Calcium carbonate and silica sand were also used as micro-fillers for comparison purpose. The samples were subjected to compression and flexural. Morphology images of the particles were captured under morphology test to support the findings. Results showed that fine POFA micro-filler has a highly promising potential in becoming PC filler compared to coarse micro-filler. Additionally, its produced PC had comparable strength to PC with calcium carbonate. From the strength development and sustainability stand point, fine POFA has demonstrated its capability to produce quality and sustainable P

Human-Oriented Leadership and Organizational Commitment in US Subsidiary Company Based in Sarawak

This article was conducted to examine the relationship between human-oriented leadership (HOL) and organizational commitment. A survey method was employed to obtain data from the employees of one US subsidiary companybased in Sarawak. Results of the Partial Least Squares (SmartPLS) model analysis confirmed that participative leadership, supportive leadership, and empowerment act as important antecedents of organizational commitment.These findings reveal that the capability of managers practicing HOL styles (supportive, participative, and empowerment) has enhanced employees' commitment to the organization

Relationship Between Service Quality and Behavioral Intentions: the Mediating Effect of Customer Satisfaction

This study was undertaken to measure the relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions. A survey method was employed to collect data from customers who received treatments at army medical organizations in Malaysia. The outcomes of Smart-PLS path model analysis confirmed that relationship between service qualities features (tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy) with customer satisfaction were positively and significantly correlated with behavioral intentions. This result demonstrates that effect of tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy on behavioral intentions was mediated by customer satisfaction.DOI: 10.15408/etk.v16i2.553

Normal concrete to polymer concrete bond strength: mohr-coulomb theory

This paper discusses an experimental study conducted to evaluate the bonding strength between normal concrete (NC) and polymer concrete (PC) substrate. Ground palm oil fuel ash (GPOFA) was incorporated as micro-filler in this polymer concrete (PC-GPOFA) to investigate its effect on bonding strength. As comparisons, PC containing others filler were prepared, i.e., PC incorporating calcium carbonate (PC CaCO3), silica sand (PC Sand), and unground POFA (PC UPOFA) filler. Two tests were conducted to investigate the bonding between two substrates - slant shear and splitting tensile tests. After critical condition surface (smooth surface) was prepared, the effect of bonding was determined using mohr-coulomb theory. Overall results indicated that PC incorporating GPOFA improved the bonding to normal concrete. This result indicates that the bonding strength of NC to PC at critical condition is affected by self-adhesion of polymer concrete to the normal concrete. The self-adhesive characteristic of polymer concrete to normal concrete can be easily identified in mohr-coulomb analysis. All-in-all, the PC incorporating ground POFA could improve the bonding to the normal concrete

Influence of citronella and chlorpyrifos on Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) and Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) infesting rabbit carcasses

Influence of citronella and chlorpyrifos on oviposition and duration for completing life cycles for Chrysomya megacephala and Chrysomya rufifacies infesting decomposing rabbit carcasses was studied. Male rabbit carcasses (n = 12) were equally divided into control, citronella-and chlorpyrifos–treated groups, and left to decompose for 14 consecutive days. C. megacephala was the first necrophagous fly oviposited in all control and citronella-treated carcasses followed by C. rufifacies. Although initial oviposition of C. megacephala was delayed (4-6 hours) in citronella-treated carcasses (P < 0.05), prolongation in completing its life cycle was not observed. Neither delayed initial oviposition nor prolonged life cycle for C. rufifacies in citronella-treated carcasses was observed. Oviposition was delayed for chlorpyrifos-treated carcasses (0.42 g/L), and eclosion of eggs remained unsuccessful. The findings deserve consideration because these chemicals are easily accessible and can be used by cunning criminals to confuse forensic entomologists while estimating minimum postmortem interval

Residents willingness to pay for conservation of green spaces and amenities at urban forest Bukit Nanas, Kuala Lumpur

Greenery plays a key role in urban ecosystems could generate a wide range of services and amenities. They provide residents with outdoor recreational opportunities and contacts with nature to nurture a harmonious people–environment relationship healthy living environment. Cities of Kuala Lumpur have a growing demand for green spaces, due to growth in populations, improved quality of life, increased leisure time, and rising environmental awareness and expectation. Unfortunately, the recent rapid pace of urban expansion and redevelopment have eradicated or degraded some existing urban green spaces and failed to preserve natural pockets and corridors in large-scale sprawling into green fields. The main aim of this study is to determine the willingness to pay (WTP) and the residents’ value of urban green space in Kuala Lumpur city. The results show that 60% of the residents are willing to pay between RM 2 to RM 5 per year for the conservation of the urban green space. The results also indicated that most of the respondents feel responsible towards the existing urban green space and concern towards amenity in Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve