Validity of the technology acceptance model (TAM) : A sensemaking perspective

This study investigates whether sensemaking activities influence technology acceptance and if the strength of relationship between TAM’s constructs changes over a period of time. This study was a panel-based longitudinal study, whereby data was collected in three stages within a single semester. The setting of the study was at the School of Management, USM. The major findings of the study showed that sensemaking does influence the TAM if activities are undertaken at high and low levels and also sensemaking influences individual constructs of TAM rather than the whole model. This study failed to prove that there is a significant change in the strength of relationship between TAM constructs over a period of time under sensemaking influence, which is that sensemaking activities were found not to exhibit any moderation effect on the TAM constructs. Sensemaking acts as an external variable which influences TAM rather than moderate the strength of the relationship between TAM constructs. This could be because the technology in question was mandatory to be used by the subjects rather than voluntary. Implications for managers are discussed

Change management and implementation of total productive maintenance: an exploratory study of Malaysian manufacturing companies

This study examines the effects of change management towards the implementation of productivity and quality improvement programs through the concept of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), in manufacturing firms in Malaysia. The factors measured are management commitment, training and education, employee empowerment, team culture and company policies and goals for change management. Autonomous maintenance and planned maintenance factors were used to measure TPM. The findings of the study provide empirical evidence that change management factors significantly enhances the extent of TPM implementatio

Magnetic phase transitions in Gd-rich metallic glasses

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 J365Master of Scienc

Keberkesanan Batuan Fosfat ke Atas Tanaman Jagung Manis (Zea Mays Var. Manis Madu Kuning)

Satu penyelidikan ladang telah dijalankan ke atas tanah siri Serdang (Tipik Paleudult) bagi mengkaji kesan dua jenis baja batuan fosfat (PR) ke atas tanaman jagung manis (Zea mays var. Manis madu kuning). Batllan fosfat tersebut ialah Fosfat Semulajadi North Carolina (NCNP) dan Batllan Fosfat China (CPR) dibandingkan dengan Superfosfat Tripel (TSP). Kadar P yang diuji ialah 25, 50, 100 dan 200 kg P ha-1. Kajian 3 sumber P (NCNP, CPR, TSP) x 4 kadar P (25, 50, 100, 200 kg P ha-1) berfaktorial disusun menggunakan Rekabentuk Rawak Blok Lengkap dengan 4 replikasi dan rawatan kawalan (0 kg P ha-1) disertakan juga. Kajian ini meliputi dua musim penanaman iaitu semua rawatan dan pengurusan diulang semasa penanaman Jagung 2. Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa ketiga-tiga jenis baja P adalah setanding dalam menghasilkan bilangan tongkol yang boleh dipasarkan dan juga berat basah tongkol jagung tersebut pada penanaman Jagung 1 dan Jagung 2. Manakala jumlah berat kering pokok jagung (bahagian atas tanpa tongkol) ialah TSP > NCNP ~ CPR pada penanaman Jagung 1 dan Jagung 2. Kepekatan nutrien dalam tisu i ndeks bagi N, P, K, Ca, Fe, Cu dan Zn adalah mencukupi dan tidak berbeza di an tara rawatan baja tersebut kecuali Mg terdapat kekurangan pada Jagung 1 dan Jagung 2 dan Cu pada Jagung 1. Dalam pengambilan unsur N, P, K, Ca, Fe dan Mn oleh pokok jagung (bahagian atas tanpa tongkol) adalah baja TSP > NCNP ~ CPR pada Jagung 1 tapi pada Jagung 2 hanya un sur N, P, Mg dan Mn sahaja. Sementara pengambilan unsurunsur lain adalah tidak berbeza bagi ketiga-tiga jenis baja sama ada Jagung 1 atau Jagung 2

Effect of Percolation on the Water Use Efficiency of Paddy Crop

Attention in this study is focussed on the evaluation of the effect of percolation on Water Use Efficiency computation. In addition, total water use, amount of water supplied, total water requirement at various stages of crop growth and Water Use Efficiency were also determined. Some findings on the factors affecting percolation were also done. Field and Laboratory experiments were conducted through two consecutive seasons. The results obtained in the wet season were 742 mm of water was needed for ET, while water needed for S&P was different between the plots. In the upstream plot S&P was 267.31mm, in the intermediate plot it was -105.36mm, and in the downstream plot it was -328.73mm. The irrigation water supplied was 576.51 mm to the upstream plot, the intermediate plot recorded was 602.01 mm and the downstream plot was 487.58 mm. The precipitation was 515 mm. During the dry season, Evapotranspiration was 670 mm, while S&P was higher than in the wet season. The upstream plot recorded 306.81 mm, the intermediate plot was 108.6 mm and the dowstream plot was -104.53 mm. Irrigation water required during this season was higher. It was 987.81 mm, 864.27 mm and 735.95 mm, respectively for the upstream, intermediate and downstream plots, while precipitation was 151 mm . Water use Efficiency was calculated by a modified equation which is (ET + SW + We) / (IR + RF). The WUE in dry season ranged from 70X to 90X and in the wet season was 70X to 95X. These results are high when a comparison is made with values of WUE using Wickham's formula

Monitoring The Provision Of Transnational Higher Education (TNHE) Services: The Potentials For Multi-Sectoral Cooperation.

Transnational higher education (TNHE) is not a new phenomenon, though its nature and the pace of its growth are unprecedented, challenging the national systems of higher education in this region. Whilst it brings about identifiable benefits, it also raises concerns amongst nations, particularly for the importing countries that are less prepared to meet these challenges

Study On The Population Biology Of Soldier Catfish (Osteogeneiosus Militaris, Linnaeus 1758) In The Coastal Area Of Penang.

A study on population biology of marine catfish of the family Ariidae, Osteogeneiosus militaris was conducted from Pulau Betong in southwestern part of Penang. The study was conducted from February 2009 to August 2010. This study includes the biological aspects such as length-weight relationship (LWR), relative condition factor (Kn), feeding habits, reproductive biology and growth determination. The LWR equation obtained for female, male and immature O. militaris were W=0.01L3.095; W=0.027L2.763 and W=0.013L2.975, respectively. The value of Kn is more than 1 showing that O. militaris in Pulau Betong were having a good body condition. Analyses of the gastro-intestinal tract length shows that O. militaris having omnivorous feeding habits (GIT=1.62). The food items found in the stomach of O. militaris comprised of, panaeids, ophiurids, holothuroids, Setipinna spp., bivalves, brachyurans crab, fish skeleton, nematode, fish eggs, isopoda, fish otolith and unidentified organism. Result from the reproductive biology shows that the spawning period for O.militaris occurred throughout the year. However, spawning peak for this species were detected in June - July 2009 and December - February 2010. Length at first maturity for population of O. militaris in Pulau Betong is at 25.5 cm SL

KONSEP FITRAH DALAM AL-QUR'AN: ANALISIS AYAT-AYAT TENTANG FITRAH DAN RELASINYA DENGAN POTENSI DAN KARAKTER MANUSIA

Penelitian ini bertujan untuk menganalisa ayat tentang konsep fitrah persfektif Al Qur’an dalam kaitannya dengan karakter dan potensi manusia. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif dengan jenis data library research (kajian kepustakaan). Fitrah manusia adalah bekal yang Allah berikan kepada manusia untuk mengenal Tuhannya dan patuh kepada Tuhannya. Fithrah manusia pada hakikatnya memiliki 3 aspek, yaitu fitrah jismiyyah, fitrah nafsiyyah (nafs, ‘aql, qolb), dan fitrah ruhiyyah. Ketiga komponen inilah yang tersusun terpadu menjadi manusia. Masing-masing komponen memiliki fungsi tersendiri namun tidak bisa bekerja selain terpadu menjadi kesatuan yang bernama fitrah. Karakter dan potensi dasar yang dimiliki manusia adalah sebagai makhluk yang beriman dan memiliki ketundukan pada sang Pencipta, namun kondisi ini dapat berubah ketika manusia berinteraksi dengan lingkungannya

Factors that affect employee’s intention to stay at Syarikat Air Melaka Berhad (SAMB) / Nur Farahin Jantan

Employee retention is very important for an organization to success and avoid high turnover rate. The purpose of this study is to observe the significant correlation relationship of the factors such as compensation and benefit, career development and supervisor support with employee’s intention to stay at SAMB and to identify the most influential factor that influences employee’s intention to stay at SAMB. The data was collected through questionnaire with a total of 144 staffs of SAMB at headquarters. This research was conducted based on simple random sampling method. Findings showed that there were significant relationships between compensation and benefit, career development, supervisor support and employee’s intention to stay at SAMB. All hypotheses were supported with the variables and failed to be rejected. This study also presents a conclusion and recommendations for manager to improve their employee’s retention strategy and to decrease employee’s turnover rate

Sales Training Practices in Malaysia: Comparisons of Domestic and Multinational Companies

This dissertation expands the domestic sales training research into international settings by examining and comparing sales training practices of domestic and multinational companies (MNCs) in Malaysia. Fourteen hypotheses were proposed and examined: (1) the two groups\u27 comparative sales training practices; (2) the two groups\u27 sales managers\u27 perceptions toward important sales training tasks; (3) the relationships of the different perceptions toward important sales training tasks to sales 9 managers\u27 performance measures; and (4) the effect of two groups\u27 demographic variables on perceived adequacy of the overall sales training programs. Cross-sectional data were collected via self-administered questionnaires distributed to sales managers, marketing managers, and sales supervisors in the state of Selangor and Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The sampling lists of this study were generated from the Directory of Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce (1999) and Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange Location of Share Register (1999). Instruments were borrowed from Honeycutt, Ford, Lupton, and Flaherty (1999), Futrell, Berry, and Bowers (1984), and Behrman and Perrault (1982) to test the proposed hypotheses in the study. The response rates obtained from both MNC and domestic group were 52% and 53%, respectively. The assessment of the non-response bias showed no significant difference between data generated from early and late response groups. Reliability of the scales was assessed by calculating internal consistency using Cronbach\u27s Alpha. Both confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were employed to measure scale validity. The proposed hypotheses were analyzed and tested using Chi-square statistics, MANOVA, Ordinary Least Square Regressions (OLS), and One-Way ANOVA techniques. Seven of the 14 proposed hypotheses received full empirical support. The results of the two groups\u27 sales training practices revealed that MNC group differed significantly from their domestic counterparts in sales training needs determination, objective setting, and program content. The analysis of the two groups\u27 perceptions towards important sales training tasks also revealed that MNC sales managers perceived greater firm commitment in providing adequate sales training budget than domestic sales managers. Domestic sales managers also perceived greater firm commitment in providing adequate supports for such important sales training tasks as planning, evaluating, and directing than their MNC counterparts. Unlike the domestic sales managers, MNC sales managers experienced a significantly stronger positive relationship between perceived adequacy of planning and evaluation of sales training programs and the improvement of their performance (i.e., presentation and communication skills). The analysis of the two groups demographic variables confirmed that Malaysian firms receiving high sales training budget provision and upper management support, perceived higher adequacy in the overall sales training programs than those receiving low sales training budget provision and upper management support. This analysis also revealed that Malaysian firms who were members of the Consumer Goods industry, perceived higher adequacy in the overall sales training programs than those belonging to the Industrial Goods industry. Both limitations and practical implications of the study are also discussed. Finally, recommendations for future research are suggested