Religiosity and Muslims’ intention to visit homestays: the mediating role of attitude

Purpose: This study aims to examine the influence of religiosity and attitude on the Malaysian Muslims’ intention to visit homestays in Sabah. Also, attitude is tested as a mediator in the hypothesized relationship. Research Methodology: A quantitative cross-sectional approach was applied to gather data from a sample of 251 Malaysian Muslims, and a convenience sampling method is employed to collect data for the study. Data collected were analysed using SmartPLS 3.3.2.9 software. Results: The findings indicate that religiosity and attitude significantly influence the Malaysian Muslims’ intention to visit homestays in Sabah. Additionally, the relationship between religiosity and the Muslims’ intention to visit the homestays are mediated by attitude. Limitations: The scope of the study is limited to Malaysian Muslims’ intention to visit homestays in Sabah only. Contribution: The study provides empirical evidence for the individual factor that attitude significantly mediated the linkage between Muslim’s religiosity and their intention to visit homestays. As for practical implication, the study’s findings should instigate the improving and enhancing of the homestays’ services in Malaysia according to the Islamic principles in the future. Keywords: Muslims, Intention, Attitude, Religiosity, Homestay visi

A review on Innovation and its Strategic Importance to the Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

This is a conceptual paper to review the innovation concept and determine the strategic importance of innovation towards the growth of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) globally. The study reviews the extant literature on the role of innovation in keeping SMEs competitive and sustainable in their business. This study’s findings show the evidence from past literature on the importance of innovation to SMEs’ growth, and its effect on SMEs if they failed to innovate. Another information that SMEs can gain when reading this paper is the definitions of innovation viewed from different perspectives and help SMEs get involved with relevant innovation activities

Does Coworkers Support Matters? Employee Engagement Study in Malaysia Oil and Gas Offshore Operations

With the new norm in business environment post-COVID-19 outbreak in late 2019, most of the organisation struggles in adapting to address unprecedented changes that indirectly affect the organisation's relationships with its own employees. Thus, employee engagement still remains a relevant subject to be discussed. There were limited studies that have been carried out on the impacts of coworkers support on employee engagement, especially in the Malaysian oil and gas industry. Therefore, this study examines the effects of coworkers support towards employee engagement among the offshore employees in Malaysia. A study was conducted through an online questionnaire via Google Forms approach where 250 offshore employees participated and data were then analysed by utilizing Partial Least Squared-Structural Equation Modelling using SmartPLS 3.0. The findings suggest that coworkers support has a positive relationship with both employee engagement dimensions among offshore employees. This study had provided oil and gas companies with a better insight and understanding of the importance of the coworkers support aspect in improving employees’ level of employee engagement among offshore employees. Future studies should also consider examining whether supervisor support and management support at offshore locations play an important role in enhancing the level of employee engagement

The effect of transformational leadership on employees’ performance in Malaysia’s public sector

Employee performance is one of the main management topics that received substantial attention from scholars and practitioners. Thus, this study aims to investigate the effect of transformational leadership on employees’ performance in Malaysia’s public sector. A total of 286 sets of questionnaires are manually collected from a public sector department. The data are then analyzed by utilizing Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS 3.3.2. This study found that transformational leadership has a significant positive influence on employee performance in Malaysia public service sector. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge on management literature by developing and empirically testing a causal model of transformational leadership on employee performance in the context of Malaysia’s public sector. The findings also suggest the importance of leadership styles that focuses on improving employees’ development, process-oriented, a commitment based on trust and expectations, which motivate employees to perform beyond expectation

The Impact of Innovation and Personal Control on MicroEntrepreneurs’ Performance in Sabah

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the innovation and personal control impact on microbusiness performance in Sabah, Malaysia. Research Methodology: The paper adopts non-probability known as a purposive sampling method in the selection of micro-businesses. The sample consists of micro business owners/entrepreneurs under the TEKUN financing scheme throughout Sabah. A survey using self-conducted questionnaires structured on a 7-point Likert scale is conducted through the distribution of 600 questionnaires, and subsequently, a total of 525 questionnaires are returned. The EAO dimensions assessed in the paper are innovation and personal control. Data collected are analysed using the SEM-PLS technique through the SmartPLS 3.3.2 software. Results: The results show that innovation and personal control are positively correlated with micro-business performance. Nevertheless, this study found that the level of performance among entrepreneurs is moderately low. Limitations: The theoretical implication of this paper is that it provides supports to some of the previous findings and arguments that EAO play an essential role in ensuring microentrepreneurs achieving better business performance. Contribution: From a practical perspective, the findings of this paper help entrepreneurs, owners, government agencies, and other stakeholders to understand the critical role of EAO in improving the business performance of micro-business in Malaysia

The impact of risk willingness and opportunity recognition on business owners’ performance in Sabah, Malaysia

This paper examines the impact of risk willingness and opportunity recognition on business owners’ performance in Sabah, Malaysia. The paper adopts non-probability sampling, known as a purposive sampling method, in selecting business owners. A total of 600 surveys using self-conducted questionnaires structured on a 7-point Likert scale is distributed, and subsequently, 525 questionnaires are returned. The EAO dimensions assessed in the paper are risk willingness and opportunity recognition. Data collected are analysed using the SEM-PLS technique through the SmartPLS 3.3.2 software. The study found a positive effect of risk willingness and opportunity recognition on the business owners’ performance. Accordingly, this paper’s theoretical and practical implication supports some of the previous findings and arguments that EAO plays an essential role in influencing micro-business owners’ performance

The Effect of Innovative Work Behaviour on the Performance of Service Sector SMEs in Sabah

Innovation is often associated with the introduction of new products or services in the business. Moreover, it can also be about changing the way business is conducted. Innovation embraces new technologies, improves industry methods, meets changing customer demands or needs, and creates better systems and processes. The organisation relies heavily upon its stakeholders, especially the employees, when it wants to develop or create an innovative environment in the workplace, either in terms of operations, processes, or methods. In line with employees' innovative spirits, innovation is deemed more critical for Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs). As the backbone of Malaysia's economy, SMEs' competitive ability is often measured through its innovative capacity. In essence, SMEs and innovation are synergistically integrated as innovative efforts are regarded as the source of economic competitiveness. However, the means for the firms to be innovative remain questionable (Makanyeza & Dzvuke, 2016). In the current scenario, to achieve long-term success, an organisation needs to support and enhance its employees' innovative potential rather than focusing solely on research and development (R&D) professionals, scientists, or specialists. Thus, this study is conducted to examine the effect of innovative work behaviour on Sabah's SMEs' performance in the Service Sector. This is a quantitative research in which a total of 300 questionnaires were distributed to the managers of Service Sector SMEs in Sabah and 219 responses were received. The data collected was then analysed using PLS-SEM. This study found that the innovative work behaviour (β = 0.393, p =0.000) were positively related to organisation performance. Hence, innovative work behaviour is crucial to be embraced by the employees of the organisation itself to enable organisations to stay relevant in the industry and keep pace with the environment's rapid changes

Perceived Organisational Support and Organisational Commitment among Oil and Gas Offshore Employees in Malaysia

With the fast growth of business and rapid changes in the economic landscape, organisational commitment remains an important subject to be discussed in any part of an organisation. Thus, the present study examines the effects of perceived organisational support on organisational commitment among offshore employees in Malaysia. A study was conducted by distributing online questionnaire via Google Forms among offshore employees. A total of 246 completed responses were collected, and data collected were then analysed using PLS-SEM 3.3.2. The outcomes suggest that all dimensions of perceived organisational support have a significant relationship towards organisational commitment among offshore employees in Malaysia, except for supervisor support

Employee engagement and its relationship towards normative commitment in Malaysia oil and gas industry

The relationship between employee engagement and organisational commitment has been established and documented in past literature. Hitherto, they are still very relevant and remain a pertinent subject to be discussed, especially with the rapid evolution of business and adjustments in the economic setting. However, much of the focus of past studies were surrounding employee engagement divulging organisational commitment. Only a few studies on the impacts of employee engagement on normative commitment have been shown, especially in Malaysia’s oil and gas industry. We do not adequately know how employee engagement is associated with normative commitment. Hence, this study goals to examine the effects of employee engagement on normative commitment. Two hundred fifty offshore employees participated in this study. Subsequently, 234 completed responses were collected, and Partial Least Squared Structural Equation Modelling were used to analyse the data using Smart PLS 3.3.2 version . The findings advise that employee engagement, particularly organisational engagement dimension, has a positive relationship with both normative commitment dimensions among offshore employees in Malaysia. This study provided oil and gas organisation with a n improved insight and understanding of the significance of the organisational engagement aspect in improving employees’ level of normative commitment among offshore employees. Because of the recent pandemic outbreak, future studies should consider the organisational support rendered by the organisation to offshore employees in predicting the new norms for oil and gas companies. Future studies should also utilise the qualitative approach or employ the Partial Least Square Multi Group Analysis (PLS MGA) to examine whether ethnicity, working tenure, and working locations play an essential role in the relationship between employee engagement and normative commitment

The moderation effect of job tenure on psychological empowerment and employee performance in Malaysia public sector

Public employee performance is very critical as it affects the government’s reputation and performance. Meanwhile, the tenure of service could influence the effect of psychological empowerment on employee performance. Thus, the objectives of this study are, first, to investigate the effect psychological empowerment on employee performance, and second, to examine whether the tenure of service moderates the relationship between psychological empowerment and employee performance among public service employees in Malaysia. A total of 286 sets of a questionnaire are collected from the public sector department. Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS 3.3.2 is used to analyze the data. The findings show that psychological empowerment is positively related to employees’ performance. Besides, employees’ tenure of service indicates a moderating effect on the relationship between psychological empowerment and employee performance. The longer the tenure, the better the employees adapt to their work, leading to the feeling of empowerment and a higher level of effort, which, in turn, increase employee performance. The study’s findings contribute to the field of management literature through the development and empirical test of a causal model of psychological empowerment on employee performance by considering employees’ tenure of service in the context of Malaysia public sector