Mediating effect of management information system on the relationship of warehouse attributes and its efficiency in Malaysia’s small and medium enterprises

This dissertation studies the relationship between the influential warehouse efficiency and warehousing attributes (operations, Human Capital Management or HCM, and layout), applied by the Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) manufacturing firms in Malaysia. These perspective research objectives are to determine whether there is any relationship between the warehousing attributes, warehouse efficiency, and warehousing Management Information System (MIS). It also examines the mediating effect of warehousing MIS in the relationship between warehousing attributes and warehouse efficiency. A quantitative method approach is applied in this research methodology. Nine hypotheses have been proposed for the research with data collected from the survey of 182 SME manufacturing firm owners in Malaysia as listed in the SME Directory 2009. The findings indicate that the warehousing MIS significantly mediates and has an effect on the warehousing attributes and their relationship with warehouse efficiency in the SME manufacturing firms. Theoretically, the research contributes to the growth development of the warehouse efficiency theories. Practically it could facilitate the owners or warehouse managers of the manufacturing firms in making the right management decisions regarding warehousing. For future research, the study recommends further exploration into the areas of security, environment, safety and health, waste management, and integrated system (International Standards Organisation or better known as ISO 9000, ISO 14000, and ISO 18000). As a conclusion, this study provides new knowledge and important insights of warehousing attributes that will benefit manufacturing firms and other related industries, particularly for SMEs in Malaysi

Strategic Sales Performance in Pahlawan Lake Resort

Pahlawan Lake Resort, under the management of Paka Utama Holdings Sdn Bhd, is focused to project itself to become the best rural tourism destination in Kedah State and and best tourist hub for Northern Region of Malaysia. Paka Utama Holdings Sdn Bhd is awarded a 20 years leasing of land of Pahlawan Lake, a 25 km distance from Alor Setar, a capital of State of Kedah and a 5 km distance from Jitra township, dated 15 Mac 2006. Since then, major activities are planned and implemented with major ones are the building and facilities construction since 2007, with more than RM 8 million being spent to re-launch or re-branding and up-grading the resort to meet the expectations of the management as the best tourists destination for northern region. Full constructions of the facilities and buildings are expected to be completed fully by end of 2009. But as the business too need to be run at the same time, the sales progress are not encouraging even though much efforts are put into the promotions and advertisements, especially through the internet, brochures and tourism networks. It is ironic that there are an increasing flow of foreign tourists to Malaysia since 1998 to 2008 but the tourists’ destinations such as Pahlawan Lake Resort is almost insignificant in the context of tourists’ attractiveness. This caused some discontentment over the focused plan and how the plan is being implemented as only 20 to 30 percent of the total sales forecasted had been achieved so far. Thus, this consultation project intends to provide Pahlawan Lake Resort with plans and strategies after carefully examine and analyze their Porter’s 5 Forces of Strategic Plan as the main model of the study; and internal and external factors of their strengths, weaknesses,opportunities and threats (SWOT Analysis). The internal analyses of strengths and weaknesses would examine the resort from the following aspects - management, finance, human resources, marketing,organizational image, cost, location, facilities/infrastructure, number of tourists (local, domestics and foreigners) and government assistant. Meanwhile, the external analyses would examine the resort opportunities and threats factors such as economy, competitiveness, customers’ trend,technology, legal, and market structures.Based on Porter’s 5 Forces Model and SWOT analyses, it is found that the resort unable to seize opportunities available in the external environment if their internal weaknesses are left unattended and the internal strengths are simply not upgraded. Thus, recommendations are given based on its strategic sales planning and appropriateness of execution. Nonetheless, the recommended strategies would serve as roadmap for the resort to achieve as their favorite tourists’ destination target and become the best tourists’ hub for Northern Region of Malaysia.Thus this will provide the resort to become self-sufficient in future for any other plan that they intend to explore

Halal Food Logistics: The Challenges among Food & Beverages Small and Medium Sizes Manufacturers

This paper presents a part of a larger study in the perspective of halal food logistics (HFL) towards halal food beverages (FB) manufacturers in Malaysia. The rising of halal product demands of Muslim consumers, mainly FB has increased the potential for implementation of HFL services. However, the current condition suggesting that there is a low demand of HFL due to some challenges arose throughout the halal supply chain. These challenges are described from two perspectives; logistics service providers (LSPs) that offering HFL services and the halal product's manufacturers, mainly from small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Some of the challenges were identified such as the complex management of warehousing and terminals, the lack of trust and knowledge, perceived risk, and others that related to the halal matters

Foreign direct investment in Malaysia: Trends and prospects

This paper reports on a study analyzing recent trends, pattern and prospects of the foreign direct investment (FDI) in Malaysia in the post-1997 financial crisis period. Among the ASEAN-4 countries, Malaysia continues to remain as the main centre for attracting FDI.The macroeconomic variables such as GDP, exports and employment are found to be positively influenced by the growth of FDI in Malaysia. To enhance the positive effect of FDI on the growth process of the Malaysian economy the flow of FDI into export-oriented sector and use of domestic inputs by the foreign oriented firms need to be encouraged.It is suggested that for sustained flow of FDI, continual price stability, macroeconomic balances, good governance and economic liberalization reforms are crucially important in the country.In the event of declining inflows of FDI, Malaysia has to shiR towards inward looking policies and search other alternatives to sustain its growth and economic prosperity by seeking more investment oufflows as a global player

Keadaan dapat dikawal: Malik

JOHOR BAHRU, Isnin - Disiplin pelajar di semua sekolah rendah dan menengah di negeri ini sentiasa terkawal dan memuaskan, kata Timbalan Pengarah Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri, Haji Abdul Malik Mohd Dom

Restoran perlu lesen: Hidangan daging binatang liar

JOHOR BAHRU, Ahad - Orang ramai dan pemilik restoran di negeri ini yang memelihara binatang liar atau memasaknya sebagai hidangan kepada pelanggan hendaklah mendapatkan lesen daripada Jabatan Perlindungan Hidupan Liar dan Taman Negara Negeri (Perhilitan) atau menghadapi tindakan undang-undang

Amaran kepada 16 pelajar tipu Sijil Akaun Rawatan

JOHOR BAHRU, Selasa - Jabatan Pendidikan Johor hanya memberi amaran kepada enam belas pelajar yang terbabit dalam kes menipu Sijil Akuan Rawatan dan Sijil Pengakuan Sakit palsu di sebuah sekolah menengah di sini bulan lalu

Jangan tipu pelancong: TDC terima 12 aduan sepanjang tahun lalu

JOHOR BAHRU, Khamis - Masyarakat tempatan diminta tidak mengambil kesempatan terhadap pelancong yang tinggal bersama mereka kerana ini boleh menjejaskan imej penduduk negara ini

Laporan jual sijil sakit palsu hampir siap

JOHOR BAHRU, Rabu - Laporan lengkap mengenai kegiatan sekumpulan pelajar yang menjual sijil sakit palsu di sebuah sekolah menengah di sini akan diserahkan kepada Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri dalam tempoh dua tiga hari lagi