Journal of Contemporary Issues and Thought
The Journal of Contemporary Issues and Thought (JCIT) [ISSN 2232-0032 / eISSN 0128-0481] is an international peer-reviewed journal published twice a year (in June and December) by the Faculty of Management and Economics (Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris) and Pejabat Karang Mengarang Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI Press). It aims to become the leading multi-disciplinary, open access, an online academic journal in the field of current matters. The JCIT is dedicated to promoting original research and insightful debate in contemporary issues and thought by publishing academic original articles, analytical and simulation models, empirical research, policy analysis, and book reviews across a number of disciplines, including accounting banking, business, economics, education, entrepreneurship development, finance, international relation, law, management, population studies, public administration, science, and social welfare.
The Influence of Maqashid Shariah-Based Innovation on Startup Sustainability: Evidence from Indonesian Muslim Entrepreneurs
This study investigates the influence of Maqashid Shariah-based innovation on startup sustainability among Muslim entrepreneurs in Indonesia. Using a quantitative approach and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the research examines how innovations aligned with the five objectives of Shariah—protection of religion, life, intellect, progeny, and wealth—contribute to the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of startups. The model also explores the moderating role of religio-ethical commitment in strengthening these relationships. Data were collected from 280 Muslim startup founders operating in various halal-related sectors, including food, fashion, fintech, and creative industries. The results show that Maqashid Shariah-based innovation significantly and positively influences all three dimensions of sustainability, with the strongest effect observed in the economic domain. Furthermore, religio-ethical commitment significantly moderates the relationship, amplifying the effect of value-based innovation on sustainability outcomes—particularly in economic and social dimensions. These findings affirm the strategic role of Islamic ethical principles in driving sustainable innovation. The study not only contributes to the theoretical advancement of Islamic entrepreneurship literature but also provides practical implications for entrepreneurs, policymakers, incubators, and Islamic financial institutions aiming to build inclusive, ethical, and future-resilient startup ecosystems. The research highlights that Maqashid Shariah can serve as a transformative framework for modern entrepreneurship, where business success is redefined beyond profit to include spiritual, social, and environmental impact.
Copyright (c) 2026 Zulfikar Hasan http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
An Empirical Study of Malaysia Palm Oil in the Global Market
This study is to review the factors that affect the Malaysian palm oil exports in the global market. This study used secondary data for the period 1975 until 2023 by using an ARDL approach. The findings of this study show that the dominant factor for Malaysia's palm oil export market in the long term is contributed by world economic activity. The world palm oil price has a negative impact and significant in the short run and the long run towards export. Next, this study also indicate that soya bean oil and palm oil are substitute but significant only in the long run. The positive effect also shown by exchange rate. Malaysia and Indonesia act as substitute in the global market which is indicated by a negative sign of Indonesian palm oil export but insignificant in the long run. However, in the short term it is significant at a one-year and two-year delay at the 1 percent significance level. Therefore, adopting a non-price approach, such as promotions and Memorandums of Understanding, are likely to stabilize and lower palm oil prices, thereby enhancing the marketability of Malaysia's palm oil exports worldwide.
Copyright (c) 2026 Anizah Md Ali http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Determinants of Gen-X's Behavioral Intention to Use Online Food Delivery Services in Malaysia
With the rapid technological change, online food delivery services (OFDS) have become a major innovation in Malaysia, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Gen-X remains an underexplored segment with lower adoption rates compared to younger generations which leads to a slow decline in OFDS usage. Based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, this study investigates four key factors, i.e. Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, and Facilitating Condition influencing Gen-X’s behavioral intention to use OFDS. The survey has been done among 384 respondents born between 1965 and 1980, located in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Johor. The result indicated that all four independent variables have positive and significant relationships towards the behavioral intention of Gen-X in using OFDS. Among these, effort expectancy is the most important factor showing that the company should focus on improving the ease of using the OFDS.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tan Loke Xuan, Low Yu Shian, Tee Yee Ling, Khairunnisa Ishak http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Economic Uncertainty, Institutional Quality, and Economic Growth: A Conceptual Perspective
Economic uncertainty has become a persistent and structurally significant feature of the global macroeconomic environment, influencing economic behavior beyond short-term cyclical fluctuations. This paper develops a conceptual framework that examines the relationship between economic uncertainty and economic growth, with particular emphasis on the moderating role of institutional quality. Drawing on a Keynesian demand perspective, economic uncertainty is conceptualized as a factor that weakens expectations, delays investment, and dampens aggregate demand, thereby constraining output growth. However, the magnitude and persistence of these effects are not uniform across economies. Differences in institutional quality, reflected in governance effectiveness, regulatory stability, policy credibility, and rule enforcement, shape how uncertainty is transmitted to real economic activity. Strong institutions mitigate uncertainty-induced contractions by stabilizing expectations, improving the transmission of macroeconomic policies, and sustaining investor confidence, whereas weak institutions amplify uncertainty shocks and weaken growth resilience. The framework further incorporates interest rates and exchange rates as key monetary and external channels through which uncertainty influences growth dynamics in open economies. By integrating economic uncertainty and institutional quality into a unified growth framework, this paper contributes to the structural macroeconomic literature and provides a coherent foundation for future empirical research.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lyu Mengran, Pei-Tha Gan, Shahrun Nizam, Azila Abdul Razak, Fatimah Salwa Abd. Hadi http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Environmental Concern and Ethical Consumption Behavior: A Perspective among Working Adults in Malaysia
Environmental concerns and consumption behavior have been widely studied, yet research on this relationship among Malaysian consumers remains scarce. Furthermore, the influence of environmental concerns on the social, environmental, and political dimensions of ethical consumption has not been individually examined. This study addresses that gap by modeling environmental concerns as a second-order construct to predict these three specific dimensions. Using the revised New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scale, data was collected from working adults residing in urbanized cities via quota sampling. The Partial Least Squares – Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach was used for analysis, with findings confirming that environmental concerns significantly predict all dimensions of ethical consumption behavior. To enhance reliability, a PLSpredict analysis was also conducted. This methodological refinement provides a more robust framework, offering valuable insights for policymakers and businesses aiming to promote ethical consumerism by understanding the distinct motivations behind consumers’ choices.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mom-Zee Tan, Luen-Peng Tan, Kum-Lung Choe http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Decentralization and Service Delivery: Evaluating the Efficiency of Local Government Administration in Southwest Nigeria
This study examined the efficiency of local government administration in service delivery within the context of decentralization in Southwest Nigeria. Despite constitutional provisions for decentralization, local governments in the region have continued to exhibit poor service outcomes, raising concerns about their administrative, fiscal, and political autonomy. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, involving a sample of 400 respondents drawn from local government officials, civil society members, and community stakeholders across the six Southwest states. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire based on a 4-point Likert scale and analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and one-sample t-tests. The findings revealed that administrative, fiscal, and political decentralization significantly enhance service delivery, while institutional and systemic challenges—such as weak interdepartmental coordination, corruption, and limited citizen engagement—undermine effectiveness. The study concluded that although decentralization improves local government efficiency, its impact is curtailed by operational bottlenecks. It recommends strengthening local autonomy, improving fiscal allocation frameworks, and instituting accountability mechanisms to optimize service delivery in decentralized governance.
Copyright (c) 2026 Agboola Isiaka Tunji, Aliu Zainul Abideen http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Inside the Game: Gaming Addiction Shapes the Spending Habits of Malaysian Generation Z Players
This study takes a closer look at how gaming addiction is shaping the way Malaysian Generation Z players spend their money. With the rise of digital gaming, Generation Z gamers are increasingly exposed to environments that encourage impulsive spending. The time frame of Generation Z covers the period from 1997 to 2012, which means that the age span of this group in 2023 is 11 to 26 years old. Generation Z, also known as the Internet generation, is greatly influenced by technological products such as the Internet, smartphones, and tablets. Therefore, this study aims to investigate how gaming addiction influences purchase intention with online mobile games of Malaysian Generation Z Players. The Self-Determination Theory and Technology Acceptance Model have been applied to examine the relationship between satisfaction, enjoyment, price, and ease of use on purchase intention with online mobile games among Malaysian Generation Z. The data collected are analyzed through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for the research result. The findings of this study could provide insights for marketers and game developers seeking to target this demographic by understanding the factors that influence their purchasing decisions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Che Siti Lazrina Bt Md Lazim, Sharmeela Banu, Boo Sim Jie, Wong Wei Xin http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Empirical Analysis of Oil Price and Economic Growth in Nigeria
The connection concerning the oil industry and a country's progression is really important, especially for countries like Nigeria that rely heavily on oil for money. This study looks at how oil prices affect Nigeria’s economy by checking things like how much the economy is growing, prices of goods, money altercation rates, and how much money is in circulation. The study also points out that depending too much on oil can be risky because changes in oil prices around the world can cause problems. Because of this, the research suggests that Nigeria should improve its economy by being careful with how it spends money and creating plans to rely less on oil. This way, the economy can be stronger and less affected by changes in oil prices. To understand this better, researchers used a special method to analyze data from 1981 to 2023. They looked for patterns to see how oil prices and the economy affect each other. They found that both short-term and long-term connections exist concerning oil prices and economic progression. When oil prices go up, it helps the economy grow, which means the government earns more money and can altercation money with other countries better. But if oil prices go down, it can cause problems like unstable money altercation rates and economic issues.
Copyright (c) 2026 Oluwatoyese O. Oyetade, Kehinde A. Aliyu http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Financial Literacy, Demographic Characteristics, and Savings Behavior among Young Adults in Malaysia
The inability of the younger generation to save money is a complex issue that warrants further investigation. Factors such as low financial literacy and materialistic tendencies, often associated with youth, hinder their ability to save for the future. This study examines the relationship between financial literacy, demographic characteristics (such as gender, education, and income), and savings behavior among young adults in Malaysia. Primary data were collected through online questionnaires distributed to young adults in 2023. Descriptive, correlation, and regression analyses were conducted on data from 216 valid respondents. Overall, the findings indicate a strong relationship between financial literacy and gender with savings behavior, while education and income do not significantly impact youth savings behavior in Malaysia. This study provides valuable insights into how financial literacy and demographic factors influence young adults' savings behavior.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nurul Afiqah Shahriman, Azira Abdul Adzis http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Effect of Spending Patterns on The Financial Well-Being of Malaysian Consumer Across Income Level
This study examined consumers' spending patterns, their impact on financial well-being, and differences across income levels in Malaysia. A quantitative approach with convenience sampling was used to collect data from 308 respondents aged 18 and above through a self-administered questionnaire, analyzed using SPSS with descriptive and Multiple Regression analysis. The findings showed prosocial spending had the highest level (4.9652), while other spending types were moderate. Financial well-being was relatively high (4.8562). Regression results indicated experiential (β=0.164), self-expressive (β=0.296), prosocial (β=0.126), and conspicuous (β=0.143) spending positively impacted financial well-being, while compulsive (β=-0.290) and impulsive (β=-0.255) spending had negative effects. Across income groups, compulsive, experiential, and self-expressive spending influenced the low-income group, compulsive, self-expressive, and conspicuous spending affected the middle-income group, and impulsive and conspicuous spending impacted the high-income group. To enhance financial well-being, especially for low- and middle-income consumers, spending behaviors should be monitored. These insights help consumers adopt prudent spending habits and assist stakeholders in designing effective financial programs to address financial challenges in Malaysia.
Copyright (c) 2026 Haffiq Hasin, Zuraidah Zainol http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Savings, Investment, and Economic Uncertainty: The Mediating Role of Institutional Quality
Economic uncertainty has become a persistent and structural feature of the global economy, shaping household and firm behavior beyond short-term cyclical fluctuations. This paper develops an integrated conceptual framework to examine how economic uncertainty influences savings and investment, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of institutional quality. Drawing on precautionary savings theory and irreversible investment theory, the framework highlights that economic uncertainty directly stimulates household savings through heightened precautionary motives while discouraging corporate investment via increased option values of waiting. Beyond these direct channels, the paper argues that economic uncertainty also operates indirectly by weakening institutional quality, thereby amplifying risk perceptions, undermining policy credibility, and increasing regulatory and legal uncertainty. Institutional quality is conceptualized using internationally recognized governance dimensions that shape the predictability of economic environments and the security of economic rights. The framework further incorporates income and the current account as core conditioning variables that influence savings capacity, investment demand, and the transmission of domestic and external shocks. By synthesizing insights from macroeconomic theory, institutional economics, and open-economy perspectives, this study advances the literature by repositioning institutional quality as a central transmission mechanism linking economic uncertainty to savings and investment outcomes. The paper formulates theoretically grounded propositions to guide future empirical research and policy analysis. Overall, the framework offers a coherent lens for understanding the heterogeneous responses of savings and investment to economic uncertainty across different institutional and macroeconomic contexts.
Copyright (c) 2025 Pei-Tha Gan, Chen Ruixue, Normala Zulkifli, Nurhanani Romli http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Impact of Incorporating Styleframe in Motion Design: A Case Study on Animation Undergraduate Students
Adapting industry practices into academic contexts has gained increasing relevance in Design education, particularly to enhance students' creative planning and execution of a project. This study investigates the application of styleframe as a main element in the creative development process in a Motion Design course. It consisted of undergraduate students in an animation program, where the students were tasked with a project-based learning to utilize styleframe as the project’s primary visual tool for articulating their concepts and guiding the project’s production. The research employs a case study approach, combining an in-depth analysis of a selected student project with a survey of 15 students, which included open-ended responses, to evaluate their application of styleframe. The results show that implementing styleframe fosters concept development and ensures consistent project execution from ideation to final production. It indicates that using styleframe supports the students' conceptual clarity and ensures coherent execution from ideation to final output among the production team. This study offers practical insights for educators seeking to align academic instruction with industry expectations and to enhance learning outcomes in Motion Design education.
Copyright (c) 2025 Auzani Zeda Mohamed Kassim http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Driving Growth with the Blue Economy: An Empirical Study of South China Sea Countries
Many South China Sea countries are developing nations that rely significantly on marine resources. Some areas within these countries still face poverty, particularly in rural or remote regions. Hence, the blue economy presents a significant opportunity for these nations to address the economic challenges and improve the well-being in the region. This study investigates the impact of blue economy elements on economic growth in South China Sea countries from 2000 to 2022 using panel ARDL. Focusing on aquaculture and fisheries production as key blue economy indicators, alongside control variables such as labour, capital, government expenditure, and trade openness. Findings reveal the significant long-run relationship between blue economy elements and economic growth, whereas no such relationship is observed in the short-run. The study may provide insights for policymakers to design effective policy and allocate resources strategically. The study focuses primarily on the economic impacts of the blue economy, the future researches may focus on the blue economy impacts social and environmental dimensions.
Copyright (c) 2025 Yan-Teng Tan, Chia-Guan Keh, Siu-Eng Tang, Sok-Yee Teoh http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Navigating Internationalisation: Motivations and Barriers for SMEs in Sabah
This study explores the perception of motives and barriers to the internationalisation of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Sabah, Malaysia. The study compares the views of SMEs with low levels of internationalisation with those with a high level of internationalisation. The results showed that for SMEs with high levels of internationalisation, the main barriers include management, task and socialcultural, financial management, and government and economic, political/legal barriers. In contrast, SMEs with low levels of internationalisation find financial, government and economic, political/legal, and marketing as the top barriers. In addition, the motives for SMEs with high levels of internationalisation include foreign market opportunities, domestic market saturation, orders from foreign customers and profit and growth goals. Meanwhile, the motives for SMEs with low levels of internationalisation include foreign market opportunities, expanding seasonal product sales, overproduction and availability of skilled labour. The findings support a mixed theoretical foundation for motives and barriers to internationalisation. Besides, the results underline the significance of tailored strategies to address the different barriers and motivations SMEs experience at different stages of internationalisation. This study gives valuable insights that practitioners or policymakers can use to achieve global competitiveness and promote successful international engagement among SMEs in Sabah.
Copyright (c) 2025 Jaratin Lily, Chew Tze Cheng, Nor Azma Rahlin, Rudy Ansar http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Demographic Dynamics of Data Analytics Readiness: A Comparative Exploration of Chinese Higher Education Faculty?
Amid the growing imperative for digital transformation in higher education, the readiness of academic faculty to adopt data analytics tools remains underexplored, particularly in the Chinese context. This study investigates the influence of demographic and professional characteristics on faculty readiness for big data analytics (BDA) across International Scholarly Exchange Curriculum (ISEC) and non-ISEC institutions. The primary objective is to examine differences in BDA readiness across variables such as ISEC affiliation, gender, professional rank, and educational background. Using a non-experimental causal-comparative design, data were collected from 154 full-time faculty members across 10 Chinese universities. A modified DELTA+ model served as the assessment framework, covering six key dimensions of analytics readiness: data, enterprise, leadership, targets, technology, and analysts. Statistical analysis using t-tests and two-way ANOVA revealed that while most readiness dimensions did not significantly differ, technology readiness was significantly higher among non-ISEC faculty. Gender, rank, and education showed no main effects, though a significant interaction between ISEC status and education was observed. These findings underscore the complexity of technological readiness and suggest that institutional affiliation and educational background interact in shaping analytics capabilities. The study calls for targeted institutional policies and further research to refine professional development strategies in higher education.
Copyright (c) 2025 Han Yu http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Corporate Social Responsibility in Driving Environmental Sustainability Performance
Demand for environmental sustainability reminds organization or business to restrategize to achieve competitive advantage in the dynamic global environment. Importantly, building Environmental Sustainability Performance (ESP) directs organizations to design Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as an effective environmental strategy in handling the negative effect on the environment because of the impact of organization or industry operation. This study has the objective to identify how CRS drives ESP in the current dynamic environment. This study was conducted by adopting the literature review method. Furthermore, the result of the study found that environmental sustainability policies are compulsory for organization to obtain the highest ESP. Organization or business can empower CRS by allocating the internal and external construct. The findings direct organizations or businesses to design and practice CSR as a strategy for the highest achievement of ESP.
Environmental sustainability performance
Copyright (c) 2025 Muliati Usman, Hamdi Harmen http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Experimenting The Box-Cox Family Transformation on Likert Scale Data for Non-Normal Residuals in Linear Regression
Neglecting the necessity for normality of residuals leads to failing in meeting the assumptions of error term in linear regression. Addressing a violation of this assumption requires an appropriate data transformation. The first objective of this study is to identify a suitable Box-Cox transformation (BCT) family for Likert scale data to handle non-normal residuals in multiple linear regression (MLR). When confronting with non-normally distributed MLR residuals, some scholars argue that the ordinary least squares estimation approach, commonly used in linear regression, consistently produces a reliable estimated value even when the error term deviates from a normal distribution. Given these conflicting opinions, one asserting that non-normally distributed error terms result in inaccurate estimates and the other maintains that such deviations do not compromise the consistency of estimates; thus, the second objective of this experiment is to reaffirm the differences in viewpoint by comparing the consistency of estimation values in MLR between cases of normal (transformed) and non-normal (non-transformed) residuals. The study suggested that the optimal BCT occurred at a lambda value 0.5. This specific lambda value corresponds to a logarithmic transformation, signifying a fundamental shift in Likert scale data toward a more normalized distribution or residuals. In the context of conflicting opinions regarding the impact of non-normally distributed error terms on estimates in MLR, this study revealed a significant difference in the mean of estimated values between the transformed and non-transformed models. The empirical evidence suggests that non-normally distributed error terms do lead to inconsistency in estimation values in MLR. Appropriate transformation does contribute to more reliable and interpretable results in MLR.
Copyright (c) 2025 Jasrul Nizam Ghazali, Muhammad Firdaus Mustapha, Mohd Azry Abdul Malik, Nur Alia Sofea Ahmad Fauzi, Nor Aina Nabila Japri, Nur Khaliesah Supardi, Amri Ab Rahman, Omar Kairan http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Effects of Supply Chain Management Practices on SMES Manufacturing Performance in Malaysia
Malaysia's manufacturing economy relies on SMEs. Supply chain management is crucial for improving these SMEs' industrial performance and market competitiveness. This study focuses on the effects of supply chain management practices on Malaysian SMEs' manufacturing performance. The study seeks to uncover supply chain management practices that significantly impact manufacturing performance and offer practical advice for SMEs to improve performance through effective supply chain management techniques. The researcher collected quantitative data from Malaysia's manufacturing SMEs. The research uses survey questionnaires to collect data on these SMEs' supply chain strategy (SCS), supply chain integration (SCI), supply chain information management (SCIM), and manufacturing performance indicators. The researcher used SPSS and SmartPLS to evaluate the data to understand how supply chain management practices affect manufacturing performance. The study found that supply chain management strategies affect Malaysian SMEs' manufacturing performance. The researcher also analyses and interprets data to identify performance indicators, helping SMEs enhance operational efficiency and market competitiveness. In conclusion, this study advances Malaysian supply chain management and SME performance studies. By highlighting supply chain practices' impact on manufacturing performance, the study advised SMEs to optimize operations and grow sustainably in Malaysia's competitive business environment.
Copyright (c) 2025 Donnathy Michellyn Halen, Halim Mad Lazim, Mohamed Najib Salleh http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Implications of Apprentice Attrition to Manpower Need among Artisans in Lagos, Nigeria
Apprentice attrition poses a significant challenge to the manpower needs of artisans in Lagos, Nigeria, as it disrupts the steady supply of skilled labor. This attrition impacts both the completion of training and the overall productivity of artisan businesses. The study investigated the implications of apprentice attrition to manpower need among artisans in Lagos, Nigeria. The study utilized a descriptive survey research design, targeting artisans in Lagos. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select 35 respondents, including plumbers, furniture makers, electricians, painters, fashion designers and metalworkers. The primary data collection tool was a self-structured questionnaire. Data collection was done via online survey, and completed questionnaires were retrieved by the researcher. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 was used to organize and code the data. Descriptive statistics (frequency tables and percentages) and inferential statistics (Pearson product moment correlation) were used to analyze the data assessing the degree of correlation between variables at a 5% significance level. Findings revealed a significant relationship between apprentice attrition and training completion rates, no significant relationship with skill proficiency levels, and a significant relationship between attrition and business output (manpower availability) of artisans in Lagos. The study recommended that Artisans and training outlets should restructure apprenticeship programs to make them more engaging and flexible, providing pathways for apprentices to gain skills without the pressure of traditional timeframes that may contribute to dropout.
Copyright (c) 2025 Odusanya Anike. T http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Contribution of Sport Educators Towards Their Management and Leadership Working in Higher Educational Institutions of Pakistan
The objective of the current study was to examine the relationship of management and leadership of sport educators with their performance and influence of management and leadership of sport educators on their performance. Quantitative research design was used for the present study. All sport educators working in higher educational institutions (Universities) of Pakistan were considered the population. Hence, the sample were chosen using simple random sampling as sampling techniques. Survey questionnaire was administered to gather the required information as an instrument for data collection. The size of samples was comprised on 210 sport educators. The response rate of samples was noted 85% (179). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were considered appropriate to analyze the edited data and achieve the desired findings from the collected information. The analyses were further made using SPSS-26. The findings of the current research proved strong and significant contribution of sports educators towards their management and leadership working in higher educational institutions of Pakistan. Sport educators may be involved in making of national sports policy, sports refresher courses, and sports training and conditioning workshops to uplift the sports standards in Pakistan. It was concluded that management and leadership of sports educators would be fruitful if Government of Pakistan utilized them appropriately through assigning them various sport tasks for the promotion of sports in Pakistan.
Copyright (c) 2025 Saeed Javed, Abd Rahim Mohd Shariff, Abida Naseer http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Assessment of Factors Affecting Women Entrepreneurs in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria.
Women's entrepreneurship is gaining more prominence in this contemporary time than ever before. In recent times, the number of female entrepreneurs has been five times more than what it used to be for the past two decades, partly due to some efforts by the government and philanthropists to raise consciousness and awareness and promote women's entrepreneurship. However, there are some hindrances affecting the establishment and operation of businesses by women in Nigeria despite numerous interventions. This study assesses factors affecting women entrepreneurs in Lagos state, Nigeria. Three research questions and two hypotheses were raised and tested to guide this study. A descriptive survey research design was employed for this study. The study population comprised 157 women entrepreneurs registered with the Bank of Industry and Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in Lagos State. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 112 female business owners whose businesses were still operating. A structured questionnaire titled: Women Entrepreneurs Assessment Scale was used to collect data for the study. The data collected were analyzed and presented using simple percentages, mean, and standard deviation. The hypotheses were analyzed using multiple regression analysis at a 0.05 significant level. The findings of this study revealed that gender discrimination significantly influences women entrepreneurs in business operations and that family commitment influences the business establishment and operation of female entrepreneurs, among others. The study concludes that women entrepreneurs contribute in no small measure to the development of the economy, and as such, women's entrepreneurship should be promoted and not be discriminated against. Based on the findings and conclusion reached, it was recommended that government enacts policies that will enhance women's entrepreneurship in Nigeria, such as empowerment programs, soft loans for women entrepreneurs, and anti-discrimination against women, among other things.
Copyright (c) 2025 UPSI Press http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Decision Orientation of CEO Education and CEO Risk-Taking: The Moderating Effect of EPU
This thesis examines how CEO decision orientation, shaped by educational background, impacts corporate risk-taking. This study covers data from 3,083 firm-year observations of companies listed on the Malaysia Stock Exchange from 2015 to 2021. The study explores the decision orientations logical and intuitive and hypothesizes that logical CEOs would take on higher risks due to their structured, analytical approach. However, empirical findings indicate that logical CEOs are generally more risk-averse, preferring lower leverage and higher liquidity. Whereas, during periods of high uncertainty, measured by Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU), logical CEOs demonstrate a mixed response while increasing leverage while other risk measures remain unchanged. The thesis also extends to assess whether cognitive complexity (categorized as Analytical or Conceptual) influences corporate risk-taking. The results show no significant link between cognitive complexity and risk-taking behaviour, suggesting that cognitive complexity alone may not be a major determinant of risk-taking.
Understanding Wellness Tourists' Behavioral Intentions: Factors Shaping Visits to Underdeveloped Mountain Regions in China
This study examines the factors impacting wellness tourist's behavioral intention in underdeveloped mountain areas in China. The model extends the theory of planned behavior, considering attitudes towards wellness tourism, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control as central factors, and additionally incorporates health consciousness level and prior knowledge of wellness. Data were randomly collected from 224 residents of Xi'an, Chengdu, and Wuhan cities in China, using a questionnaire survey and analyzed through structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that attitudes towards tourism, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and prior knowledge of wellness positively impact wellness tourist's behavioral intention in underdeveloped areas, while health consciousness level has no significant impact. Together, these five variables explain 48 percent of the variance in the dependent variable. This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by identifying the factors influencing wellness tourism behavior in underdeveloped regions, offering insights for policymakers and marketers to better understand and promote wellness tourism in these types of areas.
Emotional Exhaustion and Academic Stress as Predictors of Suicide Ideation among Undergraduates
This study examined Emotional Exhaustion and Academic stress as predictors of suicide ideation among undergraduates at the University of Benin. Three research questions were raised, and their corresponding hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 alpha significance level. This research adopted the correlational survey research design, while the population for this study consisted of all the students at the University of Benin. A purposive sampling of three hundred and fifty (350) was selected and the sample size was 50 students chosen from seven faculties from the University of Benin. The multi-stage random sampling technique was used for this work. The research instrument used was a Questionnaire titled Suicide Ideation, Academic Stress, and Emotional Exhaustion Scale” (SIASEESQ) with a reliability coefficient of 0.797, 0.695, and 0.768. The data was analyzed using linear regression. The findings revealed that Emotional exhaustion, Academic stress, and their interactions predicted Suicide ideation among undergraduates. It was therefore recommended that the universities should make the learning environment conducive for the students so as to reduce academic stress, by improving on the learning conditions of the classrooms and other basic facilities for learning amonst othes.
Comparison of Covid-19 Crisis Responses between the United States and South Korea
COVID-19 pandemic spreads through direct contact with an infected person, usually when they cough and sneeze. It also spreads through surfaces where the infected has touched as the virus has transferred. All social and business operations have come to a halt as countries urge citizens to stay inside to flatten the curve. During these troubling times, the government needs to step up to minimise the impact of the pandemic towards its economy and overall wellbeing of the citizens. This paper will compare the pandemic response between two countries: United States and South Korea. This paper will be discussing the actions taken by both countries as well as the comparisons between the approaches based on Coomb’s crisis responses model. United States and South Korea provides a contrast in how countries are handling this situation. Although these countries have received their first cases of COVID-19 on the same day, South Korea has been more successful in containing and mitigating the effects of the outbreak. South Korea was able to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus outbreak by practicing transparency, providing maximum services to sufferers, providing adequate health equipment, and most importantly having a mass tests to stop the spread of the virus quickly. All in all, both the United States and South Korea has implemented various policies to mitigate the coronavirus outbreak. Similar approaches have been executed by both countries with different degrees of success. One of the lessons that can be taken from this comparison is that, for a containment plan or policy to be successful, it needs to be fully understood by the public. Transparency is the best strategy that can be implemented by governments in achieving their policy goals.
Telepressure: A Source of Pressure for Work-Life Balance
In the face of the rapid expansion of information and communication technology usage in the workplace, telepressure started increasing resulting in a disturbance of work-life balance. The purpose of this study is to test the influence of telepressure on work-life balance through the moderating effect of job tenure on the relationship. The data for this study were collected through structured questionnaires from 472 volunteers from Malaysia following convenience sampling. The PROCESS macro was used in the moderation analysis. The result revealed that telepressure has a significantly negative relationship with work-life balance while job tenures showed a strong moderation effect between telepressure on work-life balance. The present study has tested the influence of telepressure on work-life balance at different spans of their job, which was not explored previously and extends the literature in this context. Likewise, the present study contributes to the literature on the Job Demands Resources (JD-R) model in the Malaysian context.
Online Shopping: Let the Consumer Beware
The outbreak of a pandemic Covid-19 makes the usual business dealings change to online business. The pandemic has led to a surge in e-commerce and digital transformation. Online business is a significant commercial innovation that utilises some of the most advanced technological advancements. Buying things online is becoming commonplace today as the variety and availability of products and services on the internet make consumers choose online shopping. Despite of some issues and flaws on the safety and security of online transaction such as ‘scamming’ or fraud, phishing and other online predators, online shopping being chosen because of its system makes dealings easier and convenient from the payment to delivering products or services to consumers. Therefore, this conceptual paper will look into several laws and legislations in order to protect consumers and get their rights through online shopping dealings. Apart from that, this paper will also highlight several cases within this context. The research methodology of this paper is doctrinal and secondary sources of information are relied upon, such as journal articles, case law, previous research and studies. This indicates that consumers must be aware of their online shopping transactions in order to be satisfied with the products or services received from the seller, as well as be alert to avoid being tracked online.
Organisation’s Support Influences the Acceptance and Use of E-Learning among Academic Staff of Higher Learning Institution in Sabah
E-learning refers to the use of electronic media, digital technology tools such as laptop, smart phone, and interactive Tv in teaching and learning process. Nowadays, it is undeniable that most higher learning institutions choose to implement E-learning in their education system which it becomes the alternative to the traditional learning method in teaching. Through the implementation, education institutions have the potential in establishing more open and flexible teaching and learning environment. However, to drive the a wholistic implementation of E-learning in higher learning institutions, the aspect of organisational support in terms of technicality and infrastructure facilities should be prioritised so that all parties especially the academic staffs can easily adapt and use it. Therefore, this pilot study is aimed to study the level of E-learning usage through the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Used of Technology (UTAUT) Model and the influence of organisational support on the E-learning implementation among academic staff in Sabah. The findings of simple regression analysis showed the influence of organisational support at 66 percents on the implementation of E-learning among the academic staffs, with the model’s contribution (R2=.44, k=.00). the findings found that organisational support is the significant factor in influencing the acceptance and implementation process of E-learning among the academic staffs of higher learning institutions in Sabah. Thus, this study proposes each learning institutions in Sabah to increase the organisational support especially in technicality and infrastructure to empower E-learning platforms in future.
Gender Inequality: A Case Study of the Malaysian Renewable Energy Industry
Despite the rapid growth of the renewable energy sector, gender inequality continues to hinder women's full participation and leadership in this male-dominated industry. This study explores gender dynamics by comparing female and male leadership and uncovering gender-based disparities in the Malaysian solar energy industry. A qualitative approach was adopted through in-depth interviews with 15 female employees working under female leadership in the sector. Findings reveal that male leaders are generally perceived as more tolerant, approachable, and open to feedback, while female leaders are often viewed as stricter and more emotionally driven, possibly due to differing communication styles and leadership traits. Notwithstanding, reports of equal access to promotions and performance-based rewards, some participants indicated that female staffs face career limitations—particularly in technical roles—due to traditional gender expectations, pregnancy, or a lack of field opportunities. Male engineers are more frequently assigned to site visits involving physically demanding tasks, while female engineers tend to handle administrative duties, indicating role-based task differentiation rather than workload imbalance. Although most respondents felt their workplace treated both genders fairly in promotions and rewards, a few expressed dissatisfaction with female representation in leadership and technical advancement. These findings highlight the need for inclusive leadership training, targeted support for women in technical roles, and policies that dismantle workplace stereotypes. This study contributes to the growing discourse on gender inequality by contextualizing it within a sustainability-driven industry in Malaysia, offering insights for promoting gender equity in renewable energy as part of broader sustainable development goals.
The Relationship between the Oil Price, Gold Price, and the Stock Market in Malaysia during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Due to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the worldwide financial and economic sectors, investors have been opting for safer, low-risk assets like gold and crude oil during periods of instability. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the stock market, gold price, and crude oil price using the quantile regression method. The study focused on examining the parameters of the stock price index within deciles 0.1-0.9, based on daily data from March 18th, 2020, to March 30th, 2022. The findings indicated that the relationship between gold prices and the stock market was generally insignificant during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a negative and significant correlation between crude oil prices and the stock market was observed in deciles 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9. Hence, the impact of these variables on the returns of the stock market should be taken into account by investors and policymakers.