Issue frequency and convertible bonds in Malaysia

This study aims to investigate the impact of convertible bonds offerings announcements on the firms‟ stock returns in Malaysia. The study examines a total of 90 issuances of convertible bonds from year 2000 until 2015. Event study is performed to measure the impact of announcements on the firms‟ returns. Generally, the findings report that there is a significant impact when firms announce the issuance of convertible bonds. In addition, it is found that multiple issuers face more significant negative abnormal stock returns compared to single issuers. It is possibly due to the types of convertibles issued by multiple issuers such as Irredeemable Convertible Unsecured Loan Stocks (ICULS) and Redeemable Convertible Loan Stocks (RCLS). The issuance of ICULS and RCLS are found to lead to negative abnormal returns while the issuance of Convertible Unsecured Loan Stocks (CULS) leads to positive abnormal returns. When the subsample of multiple issuers is further categorized and analysed according to each sequence of issuance, the result is found to be driven by first issuance while insignificant on the subsequent issuance. The pattern is attributable to the decrease of information asymmetry between each issuance. Additionally, this study examines the impact of other factors that may contribute to the firms‟ abnormal stock returns. There are two variables found to be significantly related to the abnormal return at these event window; (-1, 0) and (-10, 60). In the event window for a shorter period, the variables are issuance size and the firms‟ size. In the longer period, the significant variables are frequency and purpose of issuance. The findings from this study contributes to the literature as the evidence on the impact of the convertible bonds issuance frequency on firms‟ stock returns in a developing market is relatively less explored. The study also offers some recommendations for future researches

How loyal are you? Factors influencing consumer brand loyalty

Hand phone have become a necessity in human life. This is due to technological advances that allow people to communicate with each other anywhere and at any time. The variety of hand phone in the market directly contributes to the increase in the competition among the marketers to attract and ensure brand loyalty. This study aims to determine the factor influencing brand loyalty among hand phone users. Factors such as Brand Reputation, Brand Competence, Price, Advertising Spending, Brand image and Design are being investigated. Students of University Utara Malaysia were chosen as sample of this study. A total of 400 questionnaires were distributed to the respondents and 390 were obtained and usable. Correlation and regression analysis were used to analyses all data. The of Pearson Correlation analysis indicated that all the independent variables- Brand Reputation, Brand Competence, Price, Advertising Spending, Brand Image and Design had a certain degree of relationship with brand loyalty. Based on the Regression Analysis, it study shows that Brand Reputation, Brand Competence and Price influenced brand loyalty among hand phone users. However, other three variables, Advertising Spending, Brand Image and Design do not influence brand loyalty. Results also indicate that Brand Competence is the most important factor that influenced brand loyalty. In conclusion, the finding of this study will be a great challenge for marketers to prepare their strategic plan in maintaining customer loyalty

Antecedents of customer citizenship behavior among automobile online brand community in Malaysia

This study intends to explore the antecedents of customer citizenship behavior (CCB) in Malaysia. CCB has been frequently debated in the last few decades, but researchers have not reached consensus on the definitions of various extra-role behavior because due to the inconsistent terminologies of CCB. The systematic sampling among 156 members of automobile online brand communities revealed that brand trust and brand love has a significant relationship on customer citizenship behavior

Influential factors on intention to quit smoking among youth male smokers in UiTM Cawangan Melaka Kampus Bandaraya Melaka / Nurul Aishah Mohd Noor

The conduct of this study is aimed to identify the influential factors on intention to quit smoking among youth male smokers in UiTM Cawangan Melaka Kampus Bandaraya Melaka and it was done based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) proposed by Icek Ajzen in 1985. Non-probability under purposive sampling was employed for the study and questionnaire was used as the core to collect the data. The questionnaire was distributed via QR code and Google Form link over a period of 2 weeks from 27th April until 11th May 2019. At the end of the time frame, a total of 116 usable questionnaires were collected and they were then keyed in and analysed using the SPSS software version 22. According to the data analysis, two of the independent variables which are attitude and perceived behavioral control were found to have significant relationships with intention to quit smoking. Meanwhile, it was found that subjective norms do not have a significant relationship with intention to quit smoking. Based on the findings, several recommendations have been made at the end of the report, proposing for the Malaysian government and for the future researchers

Hydrodynamic impact to the cell stress during single cell recovery

Cell overstressed in single-cell recovery process leads to cell mortality during the isolation process. A glass capillaries micropipette can be useful as a tool for picking up cell based on the positive displacement picking up method. However, when a negative pressure applies to the micropipette glass for picking a cell, it produces hydrodynamic pressure to the cell medium. This pressure condition, which proportional to the stress of the cell during the recovery process. In this work, we present a numerical analysis of shear stress on cell cytoplasm. Parameters such as micropipette diameter size, micropipette tip distance to the target cell, and negative pressure impact to the cell are analyzed. As a result, shear stress of cell cytoplasm increased by a short distance of cell to the micropipette tip during the initial picking up process. However, during the cell flowing inside the micropipette, the shear stress produced to the cell has no difference to the micropipette diameter. Therefore, this study could provide a benefit understanding of cell stress phenomena for many types of cells in single-cell recovery application by proper selection of micropipette diameter, suction pressure and the minimal cell distance to during the recovery process

New geopolitical order in Northeast Asia: Japan’s threat perception in post-cold war era / Noor Hilmi Mohd Johan, Mohd Firdauz Mohd Fathir and Nurul Aishah Ab Raman

The changing of geopolitical environment in Northeast Asia after the Cold War illustrates some fundamental shift in Japan’s security environment. The post-Cold War era provide a new set of challenges and difficulties that must be diligently comprehend not only by Japanese policy maker but also her military echelon as well. With the receding of Soviet Union threat from the north comes a new and emerging volatile situation from her immediate neighbors; People’s Republic of China and Democratic Republic of Korea. Aside from this, threats from Japan domestic security also did not demonstrate any indication of declination. This article explores each international actor that can be considered as security predicament to Japan and why each actor behaves in an aggressive manner towards Japan. By analyzing issues that occur both domestic and beyond her border, the author show how past threats that emerged will eventually be replace by a new and more volatile situations – instances where PRC challenging Japan sovereignty over Senkaku and DPRK nuclear and ballistic missile test. Variety of methodology tools has been used to provide an adequate data analysis to interpret every states action in Northeast Asia, ranging from the using of primary and secondary sources that seek to contribute to the argument of this article

Customer citizenship behaviour (CCB) among automobile online brand communities in Malaysia

Customer citizenship behaviour is important to companies because it helps to improve products and services indirectly. Hence, this study aims to examine the influence of brand identification, brand experience, brand trust, brand love, and brand community commitment on customer citizenship behaviour with the mediating role of brand community commitment. A research framework was established based on existing literature to test the relationship among these variables. Social Exchange Theory and Brand Resonance Model was employed to explain the relationship between the studied variables. In order to empirically test the research framework of the study, data were collected by employing online survey. A total 386 respondent’s form automobile online brand community were selected using systematic random sampling. The data collected was analysed using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The empirical result revealed that brand identification, brand trust, brand love, and brand community commitment influenced customer citizenship behaviour. However, this study does not find any significant relationship between brand experience and customer citizenship behaviour. In addition, it was also found that brand community commitment mediates the relationship between brand identification, brand experience, brand trust, and brand love with customer citizenship behaviour. The results provide insight for marketing managers to strengthen relationship between customers and brands. This finding also suggested members of brand community who are committed to a brand community will contribute to the customer citizenship behaviour. Given the importance of customer citizenship behaviour in the online context, this study provides scholars and practitioners with suggestions and recommendations on how customer citizenship behaviours can be encouraged among automobile online brand communities

Numerical study of jet impingement cooling on a smooth curve surface

Impinging jets are a best method of achieving particularly high heat transfer coefficient and are therefore employed in many engineering applications. In this study we seek to understand the mechanism of the distributed heat on the curve surface with the goal of identifying preferred methods to predicting jet performance. The goals that have been achieved in the numerical results displayed are determine the influence of impingement jet characteristics on thermal and flow field on a curve surface, determine the variation of Nusselt numbers (NuD) along the curve surface in order to understand the heat transfer characteristics and study the effect of position (in the center, in the mid and in the end) and angle (α=90°, 60° and 30°) of jet impingement on curve surface, different Reynolds numbers (ReD) in range of (5000, 6000, 7000, 8000 and 9000). The program, which was extracted results it is (GAMBIT 2.4.6) and (FLUENT 6.3), simulation is (2-D) in submerged jet flow and the continuity, momentum and energy equations were solved by means of a finite volume method (FVM). This study covers the effect of different Reynolds numbers (ReD) on average Nusselt numbers (Nuavg) and local Nusselt numbers (NuD). From the result, the average Nusselt numbers (Nuavg) increased with the increase of Reynolds numbers (ReD) for all cases, in comparison between different positions (center, mid and end), of nozzle on curve surface at angle (α=90°) the maximum value of average Nusselt numbers (Nuavg=388.3) is found when the nozzle locate in the end followed by the mid position and smallest value of average Nusselt numbers (Nuavg=182.25) in the center of curve surface. In case of slant angle (α=60º) the maximum value of average Nusselt numbers (Nuavg=387.47) is found when the nozzle locate in the end followed by the mid position and smallest value of average Nusselt numbers (Nuavg=308.3) in the center of curve surface

Fire Safety Management in Malaysian Higher Educational Institutions

Most universities and college campuses across Malaysia are engaged in developing policies, programmes, and systems to reduce fire risks, and maintain fire safety. Although the awareness of fire disasters has increased among some parts of the society, the concept of fire disaster preparedness and response in universities has not been sufficiently explored. Therefore, this paper aims to establish a conceptual framework fire safety management plan in Malaysian Higher Educational Institution. The method used by this paper is synthesizing previous articles from selected journals and conference proceedings, reports, standards on disaster risk management, higher institution contingency and fire safety plans, and existing guidelines from authorities. The key elements of fire safety variables from the previous literatures assist this study in developing a conceptual framework related to fire safety management plan. The findings of this paper include the elements of fire safety management like organizational responsibilities (mitigation/prevention), emergency preparedness including emergency facilities, emergency contact details, information, and communication training, and testing and reviewing (response & recovery). The establishment of this conceptual framework of fire safety management can guide the management teams at higher educational institutions in delivering information to Emergency Response Team (ERT) to ensure its effectiveness. Moreover, this framework will help the management team to adopt, validate, and evaluate, which enhances the ability to detect crisis signal that will minimize losses