The Impact of Resource Input Model of Education Quality on the Overall Students’ Perceived Service Quality

Students’ retention and their academic performance are influenced by the service quality provided by higher education institutions (Sander, Stevenson, King and Coates, 2000). As such, it is vital to identify the determinants of the overall students’ perceived service quality. The aim of this research is to evaluate and validate the determinants of the overall students’ perceived service quality in a private higher education institution in Malaysia, based on the combination of both the ‘inside-out’ and ‘outside-in’ approaches as well as the resource input model of education quality. A total of 458 undergraduate business students from a private university in Malaysia participated in this research. The findings revealed that contact personnel, access to facilities, cost of courses offered, physical facilities of the tertiary institution and resource input model of education quality were positively related to the overall students’ perceived service quality. Keywords:  service quality; education quality; perceived service quality Résumé:  La mémoire et la performance scolaire des étudiants sont influencées par la qualité des services fournis par les établissements d'enseignement supérieur (Sander, Stevenson, King and Coates, 2000). Il est donc important d'identifier les déterminants de la qualité de l'ensemble des services perçue par les étudiants. Le objectif de cette recherche est d'évaluer et de valider les déterminants de la qualité de l'ensemble des services perçue par les étudiants dans un établissement d'enseignement supérieur privé en Malaisie. Cette recherche est basée sur la combinaison de deux approches  "inside-out" et "outside-in", ainsi que le modèle d'entrée de ressources de la qualité de l'éducation. Un total de 458 étudiants de premier cycle d'une université privée en Malaisie ont participé à cette recherche. Les résultats ont révélé que le personnel de contact, l'accès aux installations, le coût des cours offerts, les installations physiques de l'établissement d'enseignement supérieur et le modèle d’entrées de ressources de la qualité de l'éducation sont positivement liés à la qualité de l’ensemble des services perçue par les étudiants.Mots-clés:  qualité de service; qualité de l'éducation; qualié de service perçu

The ‘Inside-out’ and ‘Outside-in’ Approaches on Students’ Perceived Service Quality: An Empirical Evaluation

Competition for student enrollment has intensified with the liberalization of the private higher education industry in Malaysia. This has prompted the higher private education institutions to pay more attention in assessing the overall students’ perceived service quality of the respective institution. The aim of this research is to evaluate and validate the determinants of the overall students’ perceived service quality for a private higher education institution in Malaysia, based on the combination of both the ‘inside-out’ and ‘outside-in’ approaches. A total of 458 undergraduate business students from a private university in Malaysia participated in this research. The research found that contact personnel, quality of librarians, access to facilities, curriculum, staff responsiveness from the Division of Examinations and Awards, reputation of the tertiary institution and academic program, amount of recreational activities, and cost of courses offered were positively related to the overall students’ perceived service quality. Keywords: inside-out approach; outside-in approach; perceived service quality; Malaysi

Physicochemical and sensory analyses of high fibre bread incorporated with corncob powder

The primary objectives of the present work were to produce corncob powder (CCP) from corncobs and incorporate the CCP into bread formulation in order to develop high fibre bread, and to investigate the physicochemical and sensory properties of the produced high fibre bread (HFB). The corncobs were collected and washed before they underwent the grinding and drying processes. The obtained CCP was incorporated into the bread formulation in three different proportions (5, 10 and 20%) to partially substitute bread flour in the formulation. All three bread samples and the control (0% CCP in the formulation) were analysed to obtain their physicochemical and sensory properties. The incorporation of CCP significantly affected the texture, colour and volume attributes of the produced breads. Increasing the content of CCP in the formulation was found to be responsible for firmer, smaller and darker bread loaves as compared to the composite bread samples. The bread formulation incorporated with 10% CCP had the highest mean scores (7.00) of overall acceptability among all the other formulations, and it was comparable to the commercial breads in the current market

Design and development of a handheld (platform) micro-fluidic chip device for rapid detection of nerve agent

150 p.With emerging threats of terrorism and chemical warfare become evident, a Handheld (Platform) Microfluidic Chip for Rapid Detection of Nerve Agent is very much needed to prevent major casualty. This would enable the governments and the relevant authorities to make an informed decision on site in a short period of time.Master of Science (Mechanical Engineering

The Impact of Resource Input Model of Education Quality on the Overall Students’ Perceived Service Quality

Students’ retention and their academic performance are influenced by the service quality provided by higher education institutions (Sander, Stevenson, King and Coates, 2000). As such, it is vital to identify the determinants of the overall students’ perceived service quality. The aim of this research is to evaluate and validate the determinants of the overall students’ perceived service quality in a private higher education institution in Malaysia, based on the combination of both the ‘inside-out’ and ‘outside-in’ approaches as well as the resource input model of education quality. A total of 458 undergraduate business students from a private university in Malaysia participated in this research. The findings revealed that contact personnel, access to facilities, cost of courses offered, physical facilities of the tertiary institution and resource input model of education quality were positively related to the overall students’ perceived service quality. Keywords:  service quality; education quality; perceived service quality Résumé:  La mémoire et la performance scolaire des étudiants sont influencées par la qualité des services fournis par les établissements d'enseignement supérieur (Sander, Stevenson, King and Coates, 2000). Il est donc important d'identifier les déterminants de la qualité de l'ensemble des services perçue par les étudiants. Le objectif de cette recherche est d'évaluer et de valider les déterminants de la qualité de l'ensemble des services perçue par les étudiants dans un établissement d'enseignement supérieur privé en Malaisie. Cette recherche est basée sur la combinaison de deux approches  "inside-out" et "outside-in", ainsi que le modèle d'entrée de ressources de la qualité de l'éducation. Un total de 458 étudiants de premier cycle d'une université privée en Malaisie ont participé à cette recherche. Les résultats ont révélé que le personnel de contact, l'accès aux installations, le coût des cours offerts, les installations physiques de l'établissement d'enseignement supérieur et le modèle d’entrées de ressources de la qualité de l'éducation sont positivement liés à la qualité de l’ensemble des services perçue par les étudiants.Mots-clés:  qualité de service; qualité de l'éducation; qualié de service perçu

Failure of IT employment contracts.

As Singapore progresses towards the vision of IT2000, private and public sectors are exploring capabilities of information technology and re-engineering their business processes to achieve a leapfrog improvement. The use of IT has become a necessity in many industries. IT industry is playing a vital role in facilitating and transforming Singapore into an intelligent island. As technology based industry, the knowledge and competency of employees are crucial in all aspects of the business such as product innovation, consultancy service and other services. This study aims to distinguish common causes of dispute in IT employment by examining legal cases in the United States. There are guidelines and samples on various types of computer contracts for hardware acquisition transaction, software development, maintenance, system design and services. These contracts are between IT companies and clients. In employment contracts, IT companies face some concerns over distinctive IT related issues such as copyright and trade secret. IT companies also face other generic employment issues on non-competition restriction, compensation, lack of care and the status and entitlement of at-will employment. These employment issues need not necessarily be between employer and employee. Third parties such as ex-employer/newemployer or the govemment are often roped in the suit. This study highlighted the main obligations and rights of parties involved in the IT employment disputes. It also identified sex and age discriminationas an additional employment issue.Master of Business Administration (Management of Information Technology