Multi-source assessment - a Total Quality Management driven performance appraisal system: the issue of fairness

Performance Management and Total Quality Management are important factors of organizational life. It helps organizations to identify and manage the performance of highs achievers, as well as identify low and non -performers for intervention and development. Total Quality Management takes a svstem oriented perspective in managing individuals and group performance and must be compatible with continuous improvement efforts and customer-based strategies. The TQM driven Multi-source Assessment provides an alternative to traditional supervisor only appraisal process. This study was undertaken to determine whether Total Quality Management (TQM) based multi-source assessment (MSA)appraisal is perceived as fairer than traditional supervisor only appraisal system. The study was conducted using multi-group experimental design in afield setting. The perceived fairness of the performance assessment svstem was tested using the combined pretest post-test data of the experimental and control group. The t-test results indicated that changes in agreement scores from pretest to post-test result were significant and respondents perceived the TQM driven MSA process to be fairec The results and discussion of the study show that the MSA process depicts a paradigm shift, not only to management process, but how employees see their changing roles in total quality management driven organization

THE ROLE OF MICROFINANCE IN THE ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF PETTY TRADERS IN PENANG: THE CASE OF PROGRAMS TITIAN SAKSAMA RAKYAT BY PENANG DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

This paper aims to examine the impact of the Program Titian Saksama Rakyat (PTSR) to the petty traders. PTSR is a microfinance program which focuses on the growth and the development of the micro entrepreneurs in Penang, Malaysia. It was initiated by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) in co-operation with the Penang State Government in November 2008. Based on the sample of 150 petty traders involved in various business activities, the results showed that the amount of the loan received has a significant effect on their income. In addition, this study revealed that the amount of the loan received and the actual amount of the loan application (whether it is fully approved or not) were significantly affect the success of these traders. The results of the analysis also indicated that, the traders enjoyed significant benefits from the PTSR as this program was able to increase their income, expand their business, lift them out of poverty, improve their ability to increase the amount of deposits and their property, improve the quality of their health and improve their ability to own a house and land. Because of these benefits, these traders are interested and plan to apply for another loan from the PTSR program. This study, therefore, suggests that the PTSR program should be continued as it played significant roles in improving the socio-economic performance of the petty traders

Kerjasama Johor Darul Takzim dan Brunei Darussalam dalam pentadbiran agama Islam 1949 hingga 1967

Kertas kerja ini bertujuan untuk membincangkan berkenaan kerjasama antara kerajaan negeri Johor Darul Takzim dan kerajaan negara Brunei Darussalam dalam urusan pentadbiran agama Islam.Hasil penelitian rekod Arkib Negara Malaysia Cawangan Johor mendapati terdapat kerjasama yang erat antara kedua-dua kerajaan dalam beberapa bidang penting seperti pendidikan, kehakiman, pentadbiran masjid, pengurusan jenazah dan latihan para pegawai pentadbiran sama ada di peringkat pentadbiran sehingga kepada latihan untuk guru-guru agama.Kertas kerja ini hanya menggunakan sumber primer dari Jabatan Agama Johor dengan menggunakan kaedah kualitatif yang menjuruskan kepada deskriptif sejarah.Hasil penelitian mendapati bahawa Jabatan Agama Johor telah menjadi rujukan kepada Jabatan Hal ehwal Agama Islam Brunei Darussalam untuk memperkemaskan sistem pentadbiran agama Islam di negara tersebut.Malah, kini negara Brunei Darussalam telah berjaya menerapkan nilai-nilai Islam sepenuhnya dalam pentadbiran negaranya

Antihyperglycemic Effect of Methanol Extract of Syzygium polyanthum (Wight.) Leaf in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Syzygium polyanthum (S. polyanthum), a plant belonging to Myrtaceae, is widely used in Indonesian and Malaysian cuisines. Diabetic patients in Indonesia also commonly use it as a traditional medicine. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the antihyperglycemic effect of the methanol extract (ME) of S. polyanthum leaf and its possible mechanisms of action. To test for hypoglycemic activity, ME was administered orally to normal male Sprague Dawley rats after a 12-h fast. To further test for antihyperglycemic activity, the same treatment was administered to glucose-loaded (intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test, IPGTT) and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats, respectively. Hypoglycemic test in normal rats did not show significant reduction in blood glucose levels (BGLs) by the extract. Furthermore, IPGTT conducted on glucose-loaded normal rats also did not show significant reduction of BGLs. However, repeated administration of metformin and three doses of ME (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg) for six days caused significant reduction of fasting BGLs in STZ-induced diabetic rats. The possible mechanisms of action of S. polyanthum antihyperglycemic activity were assessed by measurement of intestinal glucose absorption and glucose uptake by isolated rat abdominal muscle

Isolation of Steroidal Saponin from Dracaena umbratical / Raudhatul Jannah Mohd Zuki et al.

Steroidal saponins are important class of components found in plants that play several crucial bioactivities based on previous studies. One known steroidal saponin was successfully isolated from Dracaena umbratica, a shrub of Dracaenaceae family. Dracaena umbratica also known as ‘Senjuang’ among local people. The isolation of a white amorphous steroidal saponin was conducted via normal phase vacuum liquid chromatography eluted with methanol. Its structure was established by spectroscopic analysis as 3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (14)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (14)-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-25(R)-spirost-5-en-3β-ol

Aliphatic Hydrocarbons In Surface Sediments From South China Sea Off Kuching Division, Sarawak

Eighteen surface sediment samples collected from South China Sea off Kuching Division, Sarawak were analyzed for aliphatic hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons were recovered from sediment by Soxhlet extraction method and then analyzed using gas chromatography equipped with mass spectrometer (GC/MS). Total concentrations of aliphatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments from South China Sea off Kuching division are ranged from 35.6 ug/g to 1466.1 ug/g dry weights. The sediments collected from Bako Bay, Kuching showed high concentrations of total aliphatic hydrocarbons. Several molecular indices were used to predict the predominant sources of hydrocarbons. Carbon preference index (CPI) value revealed widespread anthropogenic input in this study area (CPI= 0 to 4.1). The ratio of C31/C19and C29/C31indicated that major input of aliphatic hydrocarbon mostly transfer by lateral input to the marine environment than atmospheric movements. Generally, the concentrations of aliphatic hydrocarbons in sediment from South China Sea off Kuching division are generally higher compare to other area in the world

Managing quality/skilled people to support organizational capabilities, and business development

This paper is a conceptual and review paper discusses management of quality/skilled people or talent, knowledge management, and leadership aim at figuring out the relation between people capabilities, commitment, and connectedness with individual and group performance and organizational success. This paper also provides a figure of people performances and potentials that show the high and top performers in an organization who are above the average line. The discussion on quality/skilled people and leadership highlights the need of quality/skilled people or talent to have fundamental skills of leadership and also the readiness of them to be promoted due to their positions as leader candidates and the stars in organization, as well as the need of organization to smoothening the succession planning in line with the positions changing plan of organization. The discussion on the relation of managing quality/skilled people or talent with managing knowledge provides an insight how knowledgeable, skillful people with good attitudes, become the assets of organization to increase customer value and to make the knowledge visible. This paper reveals that knowledge, quality/skilled people, technological, and leadership, are all important elements in supporting the business expansions of a company

Smart street light using intensity controller

Smart street light is an intelligent control of street lights to optimize the problem of power consumption of the street, late in night. Currently, usual street lights are automatically turn on when it becomes dark and turn off when it becomes bright. This is huge waste of energy in the entire world as it is an essential community service, but current implementation is not efficient. Conventional street lights are being replaced by Light Emitting Diode (LED) street lighting system, which reduces the power consumption. The focus of this project is to design a system of street lights controller to provide a reduction in power consumption. The prototype is design by using Light Dependent Resistor (LDR), Infrared sensor (IR), battery and LED. All this component was controlled by Arduino UNO as the microcontroller. The brightness of the lamps is being controlled in this project to reduce the power consumption. The dimming of the lamps depends on the speed of object motion detected such as pedestrians, cyclists and cars. The higher speed of moving object, the greater the level of intensity. For this idea, the innovation of street lights is not quite the same as conventional street lights that are controlled by timer switch or light sensor which automatically turns the street lights on during sunset and off during sunrise. According to the study, motion detection devices may help to save up to 40% of energy per month

Automatic metal waste separator system in Malaysia

Metal recycling is an issue that needs attention and should be practiced by people as it has many advantages to human and Earth. In order to get a metal from Earth, the process called mining are needed where it can harm our natural resources due to depletion of the area to be mined. If the process is not controlled, most of the areas on Earth will have huge excavation holes. So, people should be responsible to prevent this from happening to preserve the environment in a good quality by recycling the metal material. By metal recycling, it can save an energy and resources as it can reduce the demand for raw materials, hence maintain the natural resources for the future. The proposed automatic metal waste separation system is intended to ease the people to separate the waste material. Besides, it will make the metal recycling industry work easier because the metal waste is already isolated at garbage collection side. The purpose of the project is to design a system to separate the metal recyclable household waste automatically and record the data waste collected. There are total of four detectors used to separate the non-metal, steel, copper and aluminum metal waste. The average time used to complete metal separation process by using the proposed prototype is 14.5 seconds. This project includes a mechanical part, programming part and an electronic design. The system will be programmed using Arduino Mega as a microcontroller to control all the electronic component in the system

Energy efficient smart street light for smart city using sensors and controller

Smart street light is an intelligent control of street lights to optimize the problem of power consumption of the street, late in night. Conventional street lights are being replaced by Light Emitting Diode (LED) street lighting system, which reduces the power consumption. The focus of this project is to design a system of street lights controller to provide a reduction in power consumption. The prototype was designed by using Light Dependent Resistor (LDR), Infrared sensor (IR), battery and LED. The brightness of the lamps is being controlled in this project to reduce the power consumption. The dimming of the lamps depends on the speed of object motion detected such as pedestrians, cyclists and cars. The higher speed of moving object, the greater the level of intensity. For this idea, the innovation of street lights is not quite the same as conventional street lights that are controlled by timer switch or light sensor which automatically turns light on during sunset and off during sunrise. According to the study, motion detection devices may help to save up to 40% of energy per month