Environmental management systems and product innovation in polypropylene firms towards eco-efficiency / Wan Khamaruddin Wan Musa

This thesis presents the results of a study that evaluated thirty five polypropylene firms in Malaysia regarding their potential and factual contributions to the establishment of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) IS014001:2004 for eco-efficiency. The sample includes innovations in products, environmental management program EMS ISO 14001:2004, government regulations and firms' eco-efficiencies. Finns that are successfully certified with IS014001: 2004 standard are expected to demonstrate continual improvements in their environmental performances and controls on its significant environmental impacts of its activities, products and services, and achievement of their set environmental objectives and targets. Innovation on product through the establishment of environmental management systems (EMS) is believed to be the best solution to reduce the environmental impact of industrial activities and supports firms to promote and enhance their best practices for environmental performance. Therefore, environmental programs and innovations are needed not only for eco-efficiency and environmental performances, but to meet with the global and market pressures towards sustainable businesses. This study also discusses on the environmental issues by Polypropylene (PP) products that forces firm to demonstrate the best environmental practices while differentiating in the global market. As a petroleum by product, PP contributes to oil dependency, and contribute to air, land and water pollution. Most of them are not biodegradable and remains present in landfills indefinitely. Most of the previous literature shows that the current practices by Malaysian PP firms on environmental management systems (EMS) are not adequate henceforth more complaints and campaigns to ban the products increases from all the countries in the world. This thesis approach differs from existing work as the analysis is focused on the question on how the innovation of environmental management systems encourages PP firm's eco efficiencies. Questions were segregated into four parts; environmental management system, product innovations, government regulations, and firm's eco-efficiency. The pilot study has been conducted to analyze respondents' understanding on the questions. Questions were distributed in various way to the respondents; firms was firstly contacted through phone and sought for their permission to send for the questionnaire. Questionnaires were then posted to the firms with instructions on how to fill the survey and return it via enclosed stamped envelope. The second method used is by assigning a gate keeper at each of the PP firm to distribute the questionnaires. The gatekeeper was first briefed on the questionnaire. This study uses the conceptual model by Katja Grekova (2007) Environmental innovation: determinants and performance to explore the significance of EMS and product innovation towards PP firm's eco-efficiency. Finally, this study would also like to recommend that regulatory bodies that are responsible for the protection of product, health and safety and environmental management systems should give more consideration to the opportunities of EMS innovation in general for achieving their objectives and goals. Also, the major stakeholders in setting regulations, especially consumer and environmental organizations should systematically check the positive influence of EMS innovation on firms' towards eco-efficiencies

The factors that influence to the effectiveness of training program at TM SME, TM Berhad / Wan Farzana Wan Musa

Training program is designed to help new and existing resellers adjust to work with successfully. In addition, they include the formal ongoing efforts of organizations to improve the performance of their employees through a variety of methods and programs. This paper attempts to identify the significant factors that influence training effectiveness. Four objectives was constructed which are first, identify what is the level of effectiveness of training conducted by TM SME, second is to identify what are the factors influence to the effectiveness of training conducted by TM SME, third is to determine most influence factors towards the effectiveness of training conducted by TM SME and fourth is to suggest the ways TM SME can increase and maintain its effective in the training conducted. The respondents of this study are the partners who came for training conducted by TM SME. 66 questionnaires were distributed in order to complete the purpose of study. The researcher used probability sampling, while telephone interview and personal interview were used as the method of collecting data. At the end of the research, the researcher found the level of training to be positive, which each of the factors mentioned as the independent variables having positive results toward the effectiveness of training conducted by TM SME

Focus Group Method an Aid to Explore Brand Experience and Contextual Factors

AbstractMalaysia automotive industry is highly intense and it creates a challenge for local manufacturer sustaining brand name in the market. Remarkably, it has revolutionized the Malaysian consumer behaviour on purchasing cars. The importance of brand experience from the view of Malaysians is vital as they depend on extrinsic cues and experiences in purchasing. Indeed, brand experiences are gaining most of the attention in the eyes of marketers but there is still scarcity in empirical study. This study excavates consumer's experience and reveals consumer's emotion on national car brand consumption. The focus group is targeted on Proton and Perodua young urban adult car users between 18-35 years old with a minimum of one year car usage. The session encouraged respondents to freely speak in order to explore their emotions on their selected national car model. The moderator conducted two sessions that comprise ten panels, thus a total of twenty panels participated. The discussions were concluded whereby Malaysian respondents have difficulties in expressing their true emotions describing their experience of each car model. Respondents tend to comment more on the quality of product attribute compared to addressing their emotional experience. Results have shown that if consumers were given the opportunity to choose, they will switch to foreign car brand that has better quality. This study has been seen as series of attempts to understand the emotion of consumers with regards to their brand experience. Furthermore, contribution of the original knowledge through the development of new findings is a practical tool for a comprehensive brand experience

Implikasi Pengurusan Strategik Terhadap Pembangunan Profesionalisme Pensyarah

Artikel ini membincangkan secara terperinci implikasi pengurusan strategik terhadap pembangunan profesionalisme dalam pensyarah di institusi Teknikal dan Vokasional (TVET). Apabila landskap pendidikan mulai berkembang, pengurusan strategik merupakan sebagai satu dasar faktor yang kritikal dalam membentuk kualiti pengajaran serta keberkesanan dalam satu persekitaran TVET. Kajian ini mengkaji hubungan di antara amalan pegurusan strategik dan pembudayaan profesionalisme dalam kalangan pensyarah. Kajian ini menyelidik dimensi utama iaitu pengurusan strategik termasuk dari aspek strategi kepimpinan, penggunaan teknologi serta reka bentuk kurikulum. Melalui kajian yang komprehensif semakan adalah bertujuan bagi mengenal pasti sebarang amalan baik, jurang dan corak dalam kajian yang sedia ada. Hasil kajian literatur sistematik dengan 23 buah artikel yang digunakan melalui platform secara atas talian Google Scholar mendapati dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa pengurusan strategik ini bukan sahaja dapat mempengaruhi aspek pentadbiran dan pengajaran dalam institusi TVET namun memberi impak yang jelas dan ketara kepada pertumbuhan professional pensyarah. Kajian ini semula ini menunjukkan kejayaan pelaksaaan inisiatif yang telah membawa kepada peningkatan inovasi dalam pedagogi, kecekapan pengajaran dan meningkatkan penglibatan pensyarah TVET. Sebaliknya, halangan serta cabaran dalam menerapkan pengurusan strategik yang berkesan bagi pembangunan professionalism pensyarah turut diteroka. Selain itu, mampu menyumbang kepada pemahaman teori bagi subjek tetapi juga ia juga memberi pandangan yang praktikal bagi pembuat dasar, pentadbir institusi dan pensyarah. Hasil daripada sorotan literatur ini menunjukkan penekanan kepada kepentingan pengurusan strategik dalam memupuk suatu persekitaran yang kondusif untuk profesionalisme pensyarah di isntitusi TVET.Melalui hasil penyatuan pengetahuan daripada bahan yang ditemui ini berfungsi sebagai salah satu sumber yang berharga yang merupakan salah satu usaha penyelidikan yang berguna untuk masa akan dating serta memberi makluman bahawa proses membuat keputusan strategik adalah bertujuan bagi memajukan lagi kualiti Pendidikan institusi TVET

Effectiveness of extension agent services in influencing the adoption of modern hive in sustainable stingless beekeeping

The role of extension services in the development of agricultural practices is believed to have more significant impact in influencing the adoption of modern technology. This study identifies factors affecting the effectiveness of extension agent services on participants’ adoption of modern stingless beekeeping hives. A total of 117 respondents were interviewed with structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis and regression analysis were employed. The survey revealed that 78 out of 117 beekeepers had adopted modern hives. Of this, 66 were men and 12 were women, with the majority being full-time operators. The factor analysis identified four factors influencing the effectiveness of extension services in the adoption of modern hives, namely guidance and encouragement from extension agent, education, training provided and outcome. However, only education and training provided by extension agents were significantly positive in influencing the effectiveness of extension services. This study suggests that capacity-building and enhancement of extension agents and services through ongoing programs seem to be the most important strategies to ensure that beekeepers understand and acquire knowledge about the advantage of adopting modern hives

Piston ring assembly for a new natural gas vehicle symmetrical multistage wobble-plate compressor

Natural gas is an alternative fuel of choice in the market today due to the increase in the price of petroleum, as well as out of environmental concerns. Pressure requirement for a natural gas vehicle (NGV) storage tank is 3000 psig (206 bars). Thus, at NGV refueling facilities, the natural gas need to be stored at a higher pressure in order to refuel the NGV at the pressure required. Compressors are needed in the compression process at the refueling facilities. A new compressor design for natural gas refueling appliance has been developed which is the symmetrical multistage wobble-plate compressor. This compressor design is the newest variation of the axial reciprocating piston compressor. The success of the compressor design in compressing gas depends on the piston ring assembly design. Through this paper, the process of designing the piston ring assembly and considerations taken for this new compressor design were explained. The results presented are those from preliminary tests using air on the working fluid. Real tests on natural gas are to be organised utilising all the experience and lesson learnt from that on air

Development of low liquid fuel Burnera

Recently, most of the gas turbine combustion research and development involves in lowering the emissions emitted from the combustor. Emission causes adverse affect to the world and mankind especially. Main concern of the present work is to reduce the NOx emission since the CO emission could be reduced through homogeneous mixing of fuel and air. Homogeneous mixing of fuel and air is also needed in order to reduce NOx emission. A liquid fuel burner system with radial air swirler vane angle of 30o, 40o, 50o and 60o has been investigated using 163mm inside diameter combustor. Orifice plates with three different sizes of 20mm, 25mm and 30mm were inserted at the back plate of swirler outlet. All tests were conducted using diesel as fuel. Fuel was injected at two different positions, i.e. at upstream and downstream of the swirler outlet using central fuel injector with single fuel nozzle pointing axially outwards. Experiment has been carried out to compare the three emissions NOx, CO and SO2. NOx reduction of about 53 percent was achieved for orifice plate of 20mm with downstream injection compared to orifice plate of 20mm with upstream injection. CO2 and SO2 was reduced about 26 percent and 56 percent respectively for the same configuration. This comparison was taken using swirler vane angle of 60o. The overall study shows that larger swirler vane angle produces lower emission results compared to the smaller ones. Smaller orifice plates produce better emission reduction. Meanwhile, downstream injection position significantly decreases the emission levels compared to upstream injection position. Combination of smallest orifice plate and largest swirler vane angle with downstream injection produce widest and shortest flame length

Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) membership management system

This project involves analyzing and designing a prototyping system that automates the membership online system of Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM). The primary objective is to create a web-based membership system that will help ABIM's administrator to collect and store members' information in efficient and reliable way as well as to manage the database efficiently. The system will enable the user to do online registration, manage the payment fee, view the activity and muktamar report as well as update their personal detail. It also enables the admin to track members' infonnation, view the payment, activity, muktamar and also membership database. The system is developed using PHP and MySQ

Development of local volume table for second growth forests using standing tree measurements

The need to have an accurate measure of tree volume is fundamental in forest management and administration as tree volume is widely used for estimating the productivity of a forest stand, as well as for the assessment of taxes and fines. In moist tropical forest, volume table has been recognized as the best approach to estimate volume especially due to some difficulties in tree measurements. Various researches on tree volume estimation have been conducted in Peninsular Malaysia with the purpose of improving planning in the management of forests. In order to construct reliable volume tables, enumeration of a relatively large number of sample trees of various size classes and species or species groups are required. The enumeration of each sample tree requires accurate diameter measurements of several sections of the stem. To obtain such measurements, traditionally the sample trees have been measured either using felled or standing trees and therefore costly and time consuming. Currently, the same level of accurate measurements can be obtained without the need to undertake destructive sampling or direct measurements, such as by climbing trees. This paper highlights the use of digital measurement tool for the measurement of standing trees for the development of volume tables. The benefits and limitations of this digital approach over traditional data collection technique are discussed

Comparative study of photodegration of orange by solar and fenton process / Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Musa

Wastewater is exhausted in large volume every year due to the processes of textile industries such as dyeing am finishing processes. Nowadays, more than 50% of dyes used in textile industry are Azo-based dyes. Inorganic salts improve the coloration of the dye, which enhances the pollution load of wastewater from textile industries. Degradation of the reactive textile dye Orange Gelb (OG) was studied using Fenton's Reagent of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) and solar photo catalytic by TiO2. A laboratory set-up was designed to evaluate the effectiveness for both treatment. The initial concentration of OG in the reaction was 5 ppm. The effects of irradiation time and the condition of pH dye and concentrations of catalyst (TiO2, H2O2 and FeSO4) on the degree of degradation efficiency were studied. The results indicated that photo-Fenton's process is more effective than solar photo degradation by TiO2. The degradation effectiveness of Fenton's procedure was up to 79.22% in 2 hour rate at pH 3 and in 3.1 X 10-2 M, while the degradation efficiency of TiO2 was just up 19.75% at pH6 am in 5 ppm The degradation effectiveness of Fenton process increased as the concentration of OG dye decreased, the concentration of H202 increased, concentration of FeSO4 increased and pH value get decreased which is in more acidic. While for photo degradation for TiO2, the best degradation happened when TiO2 concentration increased, concentration of OG dye decreased, and ph value increased