The dynamic relationship between private domestic investment, the user cost of capital, and economic growth in Malaysia

This study attempts to examine the dynamic relationship between private domestic investment (PDI), the user cost of capital, and economic growth in Malaysia over the period of 1970 to 2009. Johansen cointegration test suggests that PDI, the user cost of capital, and economic growth are cointegrated in Malaysia. Granger causality test reveals that there is a uni-directional causality running from PDI to economic growth and also from PDI to the user cost of capital in the long run. Moreover, there is a bi-directional causal relationship between economic growth and the user cost of capital in the long run. Meanwhile, there is a strong evidence of a bi-directional causality between PDI, economic growth, and the user cost of capital in the short run. For completeness, variance decomposition is also generated and the results suggest that PDI is more important than the user cost of capital in explaining the variation of economic growth. Finally, the impulse response function confirmed that a shock in the user cost capital exerts a negative effect on PDI and economic growth in Malaysia.Causality; Cointegration; Economic growth; Private domestic investment

Rapid English Language Courseware for the New Primary School Curriculum: An Evaluation

When the Ministry of Education of Malaysia launched the Learning- With-Computers Project in 1989, concerned educators felt that there was an acute shortage of local curriculum-related courseware. At this juncture, a pioneer courseware company, produced its first New Primary School Curriculum (NPSC) series, popularly known as RAPID Educational Courseware. The series comprises three major subjects : Bahasa Malaysia, English Language and Mathematics. Because the courseware was new, it was not clear to what extent it confonns to the instructional goals and objectives of the NPSC. It was also not known whether students who used the courseware acquired better skills than those who did not. In view of the urgency to provide such feedback, this evaluation study, which focussed on one major subject i.e. English Language, was conducted. The study aims to suggest guidelines for overall improvement of the design and use of the RAPID English Language Courseware (abbreviated RELC (NPSC)); henceforth indirectly encouraging the production of better courseware. The study employed both formal and informal evaluation. The latter focussed on content and design analysis of the courseware, and the former involved an effectiveness experiment which compared the language improvement of two groups of primary students. One group used the RELC (NPSC) in the computer laboratory, and another followed the tuition class

Assessing the efficacy of writing centres: a review of selected evaluation studies

Writing practitioners, especially those in North America, have been reporting positive results from using writing centres in supporting students’ writing processes. Yet the question of how efficacious a writing centre can be is seldom seriously considered. In view of this gap, this paper attempts to examine several important evaluation studies of writing centre efficacy from the limited literature of empirical research, and presents evidence from both qualitative and quantitative measurements. While the formal qualitative studies affirmed the effectiveness of writing centre in reducing students’ writing apprehension and promoting positive affects to writing, the quantitative studies found that writing centre tutorials improved students’ writing competence and overall grades. Nevertheless, further research is required to establish the relationship between students’ satisfaction levels and the number of writing centre tutorials they received

The Forecast Accuracy Of Second Board IPOs (1989 – 1994)

The reliability of the earnings forecasts has been a topic of criticism recently since some of the listed companies are found to have documented a large discretipency between the actual and forecast profits. This study intend to substantiate the previously documented evidence on the Initial Public Offerings forecast errors of the Main Board. The IPO for firms listed on the Second Board for the period 1989 to 1994. The companies under study covered a wide range of sectors such as Industrial, Consumer, Construction, Trading/Service and Finance. The forecast accuracy is measured by forecast errors, absolute forecast errors and squared forecast error. The level of forecast accuracy appears to be better for the Second Board listed companies compared to that of Main Board IPOs. The accuracy levels are closed to the developed markets such as United Kingdom, United States and Australia. A multiple regression model was needed to explain the variation in the absolute forecast errors (the dependent variable) with firms characteristics as independent variables. The only variable that showed significant relationship with absolute forecast errors was forecast interval that is the time between the prospectus issued date and the year end of the forecast pertain. Other variables, such as Auditor Choice, Age Size Financial Leverage, Industry sectors were not significant. In general, the findings are consistent with that reported for the Main Board IPOs (Shamser et. al. 1994) and inconsistent with those reported in developed markets

Plasma Very Low Density Lipoprotein and Fat Deposition in Commercial Broiler and Crossbred Village Chickens

A study was conducted to determine the relationships between triacylglycerol (TAG) of plasma, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), VLDL subfractions; postheparin plasma lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity and fat deposition in two different breeds of chickens. The VLDL apolipoproteins of both breeds were also characterised. Two breeds used were crossbred village chicken (AK) (Sasso crossed) and commercial broiler (CB) (Avian). One hundred and eighty day-old female and 180 day-old male birds from both breeds were used in this study. They were fed a conventional starter diet up to three weeks of age and a finisher diet until six weeks of age for CB and 12 weeks of age for AK. They were housed in six pens with 30 female and 30 male birds of each breed per pen. Three male and three female birds from each pen were slaughtered and the blood was collected. The VLDL was isolated and sub fractionated by using Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography (FPLC). Lipid compositions and types of apolipoproteins were determined. The LPL activity in the postheparin plasma was also measured by using non-esterified fatty acid kit. The body weight (BW) and feed intake (FI) of CB were significantly (P<0.01) higher than that o f AK but the feed conversion ratio was significantly (P<0.01) lower. Fat deposition of both breeds was positively correlated (P<0.01) with BW and FI. Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography analysis showed the presence of two sub fractions in VLDL. Subfraction 2 contained more apo E than sub fraction 1 and believed to enhance the lipolysis process of VLDL TAG. The results also showed that CB had a significantly higher proportion of sub fraction 2 (P<0.01), bigger VLDL particle size (P<0.01) and higher postheparin plasma LPL activity (P<0.05) than AK. All these factors lead to a higher fat deposition in CB (P<0.01) than that of AK. These results were further supported by the lower VLDL TAG concentration of CB (P<0.01). The CB, which had a higher LPL activity and proportion of sub fraction 2, caused a faster catabolism of TAG and more fatty acids were released for fat deposition. The AK and CB have almost similar types of apolipoproteins in both sub fractions I and 2. The AK showed the presence of apo AI, AIV, D and E whereas the CB had apo AIV, D, E and H. The apo AIV and apo E were present in both sub fractions of AK and CB

Writing Centre Approach: Critical Issues and Practical Concerns.

As part of a research study on innovating the writing centre approach in Malaysian tertiary education, this paper critiques some common practices in writing centres, and raises issues pertinent to the writing centre approach. Critical issues discussed are the notion of help in writing centre tutoring, generalist versus specialist tutoring, peer review versus peer tutoring, tutoring ESL students, and grammar instruction. Examples are drawn from context where the writing centre was originally innovated to explore a workable model for its application in Malaysian tertiary institutions

Factors Affecting Supplier Managed Inventory (SMI) Implementation

A major impediment to efficient supply chain integration is the cost of managing inventory. Due to the need to create efficiencies in the supply chain by targeting this “inventory” link, the concept of Supplier Managed Inventory (SMI) was born. However, most of the research has focused on the grocery industry and large companies. There is a lack of studies on the factors that affect the success of SMI programs in manufacturing industry

How investor behavioral factors influence real estate investment satisfaction and reinvestment intention in Penang, Malaysia

Matlamat kajian in adalah untuk mengenalpasti perhubungan antara kepuasan pelaburan dalam hartanah dengan kemahuan melabur. The aim of this study is to identify investors’ investment satisfaction relative to investors’ reinvestment intention in local context

Unpacking Creativity for Language Teaching

Before unlocking creativity, we must first unpack what it means. In this book, creativity is unravelled from various perspectives and the relevance for language teaching and learning is explored. Tin offers a coherent discussion of creativity, adopting an inclusive and integrated but, at the same time, focused approach to creativity. Divided into 12 chapters, the book covers: • A critical review of the way the term ‘creativity’ is used, defined and written about in various disciplines • Various models and theories of creativity, the product- and process-oriented views of creativity and their relevance for language teaching • Three pillars on which creative language pedagogy should be based • Over 60 practical tasks, applying theoretical arguments and principles of creativity to language teaching and learning. Based on the author’s own practice and research on creativity over the last two decades, the book provides exciting new ideas for scholars and practitioners interested in creativity and creative language pedagogy. The book serves as an important contribution for students, teachers and scholars in the field of applied linguistics, language teaching and education

Unpacking Creativity for Language Teaching

Before unlocking creativity, we must first unpack what it means. In this book, creativity is unravelled from various perspectives and the relevance for language teaching and learning is explored. Tin offers a coherent discussion of creativity, adopting an inclusive and integrated but, at the same time, focused approach to creativity. Divided into 12 chapters, the book covers: • A critical review of the way the term ‘creativity’ is used, defined and written about in various disciplines • Various models and theories of creativity, the product- and process-oriented views of creativity and their relevance for language teaching • Three pillars on which creative language pedagogy should be based • Over 60 practical tasks, applying theoretical arguments and principles of creativity to language teaching and learning. Based on the author’s own practice and research on creativity over the last two decades, the book provides exciting new ideas for scholars and practitioners interested in creativity and creative language pedagogy. The book serves as an important contribution for students, teachers and scholars in the field of applied linguistics, language teaching and education