Environmental Management Practices in Small Batik Industry in Kelantan, Malaysia

Small businesses form a backbone of economy in developed countries as well as in developing countries. However, at the same time, small businesses significantly contributed to environmental degradations because they are preoccupied with matters pertaining to business as well their limitation in resources to look after the environment. In Malaysia, batik industry is one of handicraft products that contributed significant to the country economy, but the industry has poor environmental record. Yet until recently, not many researchers in Malaysia conducted in research pertaining to environmental management practices of SMEs entrepreneurs by using batik as a case. This paper examines environmental practices adopted by entrepreneurs in their business activities. This study utilized in-depth interviews with three entrepreneurs in the industry in Kelantan. The results of the study found that the level of implementation of environmental-friendly practices among batik entrepreneurs were low. Keywords: Environmental management practices, SMEs, batik industr

Threshold Voltage and Leakage Current Variability on Process Parameter in a 22 nm PMOS device

This article explains the effect of variation on the process parameters while designing a Nano-scaled planar PMOS device in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology for 22 nm gate length. This procedure aims to meet the best combination of fabrication process parameter on the threshold voltage (VTH) and leakage current (IOFF) which was predicted by the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS). The gate structure of the PMOS device consists of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) as the high permittivity material (high-k) dielectric and Tungsten Silicide (WSix) metal gate where it is deposited on top of the TiO2 high-k layer. The simulation process was designed using an industrial-based numerical simulator. This simulator was then aided in design with the L9 Taguchi’s orthogonal array method to optimise the best combination of process parameters in order to achieve the optimum VTH value with the lowest IOFF. The analysis results of the factor effect on the SNR in ANOVA analysis clearly show that the Halo implantation tilting angle has the greatest influence with 52.47% in optimising the process parameter where the implantation tilting angle is at 35°. The final results in characterizing and modelling the process parameters of the 22 nm PMOS device with reference to the prediction ITRS succeeded where the result of the VTH is 4.25% closest to the prediction value of -0.289 V ± 12.7% and minimum IOFF value which is 92% away from the predicted value which is 100 nA/µm

Control Factors Optimization on Threshold Voltage and Leakage Current in 22 nm NMOS Transistor Using Taguchi Method

In this article, Taguchi method was used to optimize the control factor in obtaining the optimal value which is also known as response characteristics, where the threshold voltage (Vth) and leakage current (Ileak) for NMOS transistor with a gate length of 22 nm is taken into account. The NMOS transistor design includes a high permittivity material (high-k) as a dielectric layer and a metal gate which is Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) and Tungsten Silicide (WSiX) respectively. The control factor was optimized in designing the NMOS device using the Taguchi Orthogonal Array Method where the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) analysis uses the Nominal-the-Best (NTB) SNR for Vth, while for Ileak analysis, a Smaller-the-Better (STB) SNR was used. Four manufacturing control factors and two noise factor are used to optimize the response characteristics and find the best combination of design parameters. The results show that the Halo implantation tilting angle is the dominant factor where it has the greatest factor effect on the SNR of the Ileak with 55.52%. It is also shown that the values of Vth have the least variance and the mean value can be set to 0.289 V ± 12.7% and Ileak is less than 100 nA/µm which is in line with the projections made by the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS)

Kajian kes mengenai penggunaan perisian sosial di perpustakaan IPTA dan IPTS di Malaysia

Web 2.0 is an application and social networking software that provides interactive information sharing, user oriented design and collaboration on the Internet. Some popular social software that are being used are Facebook Twitter, Blog dan Flickr. This article is the results of a study which seeks to identify the usage of Web 2.0 applications in 20 public and 14 private academic libraries throughout Malaysia. A virtual survey was conducted from October 2009 to February 2010. The findings show that Web 2.0 applications are being used in some academic libraries. Currently, the Blog is the most widehly used application

Whitsleblowing: Isu dan kepentingannya kepada organisasi

Kakitangan awam adalah golongan yang menawarkan perkhidmatan kepada orang awam dan akan menunjukkan gambaran sebenar imej sesebuah kerajaan. Untuk memastikan kecekapan dan keberkesanan dalam menawarkan perkhidmatan, kakitangan awam mesti berpegang teguh kepada peraturan dan undang-undang yang telah dikeluarkan oleh kerajaan. Walaupun kerajaan telah banyak mewujudkan dan melaksanakan dasar-dasar tertentu dan cuba untuk menanam nilai-nilai murni di kalangan pegawai awam seperti "Bersih, Cekap, Amanah", "Kepimpinan Melalui Teladan", dan "Tonggak 12", namun laporan mengenai perbuatan tidak beretika dan tindakan yang bersalahan atau bertentangan dengan peraturan dan undang-undang masih lagi berleluasa. Dalam masyarakat demokrasi, kepercayaan terhadap kerajaan dan perkhidmatan awam yang diberikan kepada orang awam menjadi satu komponen penting dalam sistem sosio-politik negara. Kepercayaan terhadap kakitangan awam juga menjadi semakin penting disebabkan golongan ini memainkan peranan utama dalam memberikan perkhidmatan dan memenuhi kehendak awam. Kepercayaan ini menyebabkan mereka perlu memiliki sifat yang baik dan reputasi yang bagus dalam menyediakan perkhidmatan dan bantuan yang terbaik kepada orang awam sehingga mencapai tahap kecekapan, keadilan, kejujuran dan sebagainya dalam perkhidmatan awam. Berdasarkan laporan media terdapat kes penyelewengan dan salahguna kuasa yang berlaku melibatkan kakitangan awam seperti pegawai polis, pegawai kastam, pegawai penguatkuasaan dan sebagainya. Mereka ini sentiasa behadapan atau berhubungan secara langsung dengan orang awam dan keadaan ini menyebabkan tingkah laku mereka sentiasa diperhatikan. Kertas kertas kerja akan melihat kepada konsep whitsleblowing secara umum dan seterusnya melihat kepada faktor-faktor yang tidak menggalakkan whitsleblowing dalam sesebuah organisasi. Kertas kerja ini juga akan melihat kepada kepentingan dan kesan yang diperorehi oleh whitsleblower serta cadangan untuk menggalakkan lagi amalan whitsleblowing di dalam sesebuah organisasi ke arah mencapai kecemerlangan

Kajian kes mengenai penggunaan perisian sosial di Perpustakaan IPTA dan IPTS di Malaysia

Web 2. 0 is an application and social networking software that provides interactive information sharing, user oriented design and collaboration on the Internet. Some popular social software that are being used are Facebook, Twitter, Blog dan Flickr. This article is the results of a study which seeks to identify the usage of Web 2. 0 applications in 20 public and 14 private academic libraries throughout Malaysia. A virtual survey was conducted from October 2009 to February 2010. The findings show that Web 2.0 applications are being used in some academic libraries. Currently, the Blog is the most widely used application