Journal of the Asian Academy of Applied Business (JAAAB)

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF ECOTOURISM INDUSTRY IN SABAH: APPLICATION OF COMBINED SWOT/TOWS AND AHP

2026-06-22T15:51:12+08:00

Sabah is a wonderful place for a special holiday, offering inspiring natural scenery, diverse landscapes, unique cultures, exciting adventures, beautiful beaches, and fantastic cuisine for the adventurous taste buds. Therefore, Sabah is one of the top tourist destinations, both among tourists and local people. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis of tourism in Sabah, which covers both internal and external factors. The analysis will be further enhanced to decide the best decision made by utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to determine priorities among SWOT factors. Therefore, the SWOT-AHP analysis is a strategy tool used for a qualitative study. The key determinants that influence the coastal, maritime, inland, and ecotourism in Sabah are as follows: Sabah has a rich biodiversity, Sabah has limited infrastructure; however, there is opportunity as there is growing interest in ecotourism, and the potential threat is due to the environmental degradation, which threat the ecosystems. Nevertheless, this paper also has limitations as it only focuses on a limited number of crucial internal and external elements. Thus, further research is essential in identifying the optimal strategy for ecotourism in Sabah.

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF BANCASSURANCE IN SABAH USING SWOT-TOWS-AHP FRAMEWORK

2026-06-22T16:00:19+08:00

Bancassurance has emerged as an important financial service distribution model that integrates banking and insurance products through a single platform. Despite its growth potential, the development of bancassurance in Sabah remains constrained by geographical challenges, low insurance penetration, limited financial literacy, and infrastructure limitations. This study aims to identify the key internal and external factors influencing bancassurance development in Sabah, formulate strategic alternatives, and prioritize the most suitable strategies using an integrated SWOT-TOWS-AHP framework. Data were collected through focus group discussions involving 16 industry practitioners from banking, insurance, and financial advisory sectors, supported by secondary data from industry reports and academic literature. The SWOT analysis identified four strengths, four weaknesses, four opportunities, and four threats affecting the sector. These factors were subsequently transformed into 18 strategic alternatives using the TOWS matrix and prioritized through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The results revealed that Strength-Opportunity (SO) strategies received the highest priority (47.9%), followed by Strength-Threat (28.7%), Weakness-Opportunity (12.9%), and Weakness-Threat (10.4%) strategies. The highest-ranked strategy was deploying trusted bank staff to underserved rural communities. The findings provide practical guidance for banks, insurers, and policymakers in enhancing bancassurance penetration and promoting financial inclusion in Sabah.

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF THE ONLINE EDUCATION INDUSTRY AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS USING SWOT AND AHP APPROACH

2026-06-22T22:17:37+08:00

This study examines the strategic factors influencing the development of online education in Malaysia, particularly among university students, using an integrated SWOT-AHP framework. The rapid expansion of online education in higher education institutions has created new opportunities for learning flexibility and accessibility, while simultaneously presenting challenges related to assessment integrity, lecturer readiness, digital infrastructure, and equitable access to technology. The study applies SWOT analysis to identify the key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats affecting the effectiveness and sustainability of online education. Subsequently, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is employed to evaluate and prioritise these strategic factors through pairwise comparison and consistency analysis. The findings reveal that weaknesses represent the most critical strategic category, with assessment integrity emerging as the highest-priority issue requiring immediate attention to maintain academic credibility. Lecturer digital readiness and government support for digital infrastructure were also identified as significant factors influencing the success of online education initiatives. The study provides practical insights for higher education institutions and policymakers in developing targeted strategies to enhance the quality, accessibility, and reliability of online learning. By integrating SWOT and AHP methodologies, this research offers a systematic and evidence-based approach for strategic planning and decision-making in the Malaysian online education sector.

STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR FOOD INDUSTRY AN APPLICATION ON NESTLE: INTEGRATING SWOT/TOWS AND AHP METHODS

2026-06-22T22:25:38+08:00

This research employs both AHP and SWOT/TOWS techniques to perform a strategic assessment of the food industry (Lee & Carter, 2012; Khan & Hackney, 2015; Zhang, 2019). The idea is to provide the broadest perspective of the organization and the environment to recognize significant strategic priorities that will increase sustainability and competitive advantage of the industry. SWOT analysis is considered basic and provides an overview of the state of the industry based on various aspects. To move beyond simple identification, the TOWS matrix is applied to translate the SWOT findings into concrete strategic options by matching internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats. This framework helps in formulating actionable strategies aligned with different scenarios, thus enhancing decision-making effectiveness. For a critical evaluation of the priorities based on real data, the study utilizes the AHP technique. AHP decomposes the evaluation into a logical hierarchical structure that allows for a comprehensive comparison of the factors relative to each other. This combination of qualitative and quantitative research offers insights on the issues and prospects impacting stakeholders of the food industry. Main strategic areas discussed include supply chain management for improvement, product development and innovation, dealing with regulatory frameworks, and meeting consumer preferences. In summary, this study stresses the significance of strategic management in remediating the challenges inherent in the food industry. Thus, using the SWOT, TOWS, and AHP methodologies, the participants obtain the information necessary to make decisions and improve the performance of the entire industry. Apart from benefitting the identification of key issues, this approach also helps in the development of issue-specific strategies for growth and competitive advantage in a changing market context.

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND URBAN PLANNING IN KOTA KINABALU: A COMPREHENSIVE SWOT/TOWS-AHP APPROACH

2026-06-22T22:58:11+08:00

This study examines the infrastructure and urban planning landscape of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, using an integrated SWOT-TOWS-AHP approach to identify strategic priorities for sustainable urban development. Secondary data from government reports, academic literature, and industry publications were analyzed to evaluate the city’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The SWOT analysis revealed key strengths such as strategic location, modern infrastructure projects, tourism potential, and natural attractions, while major weaknesses included traffic congestion, urban sprawl, inadequate drainage systems, and limited affordable housing. Based on these findings, the TOWS matrix was used to formulate strategic alternatives. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was then applied to prioritize the proposed strategies through pairwise comparisons. The results indicated that promoting eco-tourism zones integrated with sustainable urban infrastructure was the highest-ranked strategy (38.0%), followed by the implementation of smart city technologies (19.0%) and the development of affordable housing and public transportation initiatives (11.1%). The findings provide a structured framework for policymakers and urban planners to support sustainable, resilient, and inclusive urban growth in Kota Kinabalu.

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS USING SWOT/TOWS-AHP: AN APPLICATION ON EDUCATORS JOB PERFORMANCE IN SABAH

2026-06-22T23:10:59+08:00

This study examines educators’ job performance in Sabah, Malaysia, using an integrated SWOT/TOWS-AHP approach to identify strategic priorities for improving educational outcomes. Data were collected through focus group discussions involving educators, administrators, and policymakers to identify the key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats affecting teacher performance. The SWOT findings revealed strengths such as strong cultural adaptability, multilingual competency, and community engagement, while weaknesses included inadequate infrastructure, limited professional development opportunities, high teacher-student ratios, and teacher burnout. Opportunities were identified in digital education expansion, government-NGO collaborations, and growing emphasis on STEM education, whereas threats included funding constraints, urban-rural disparities, policy instability, and negative perceptions of the teaching profession. The TOWS matrix was subsequently employed to formulate strategic alternatives, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to prioritize these strategies based on expert evaluations. The results indicated that reducing teacher workload through AI-powered grading and administrative tools emerged as the highest-priority strategy (22.3%), followed by the development of culturally responsive digital teaching modules (16.6%) and policy stability initiatives (14.5%). The study provides a practical and evidence-based framework to support policymakers, school administrators, and educators in enhancing teacher performance and promoting equitable educational development across Sabah.

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF ENERGY ISSUE: A COMPREHENSIVE SWOT/TOWS-AHP APPROCH

2026-06-22T23:25:41+08:00

This research performs a thorough strategic examination of the energy sector in Sabah utilizing an integrated SWOT/TOWS-AHP methodology. Sabah’s energy system is lagging behind national standards because of inadequate infrastructure, geographical remoteness, and a lack of skilled workers. Nevertheless, the state has considerable untapped potential in renewable energy resources, and recent developments, such as the establishment of the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS), signals progress. Such as A hybrid system with PV/WT/Battery/DG is the most competitive in providing low-cost electricity to remote communities in Malaysia's Sabah state (See et al., 2022). The study employs SWOT analysis to assess internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities, threats, and utilizes the TOWS matrix to formulate actionable strategies. These strategies are then ranked with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), which measures and compares the relative value of each strategic option. The findings demonstrate that initiatives such as Sabah leveraging climate finance and green investment have high potential, while regulatory and technological innovation is also key. This study provides strategic guidance for infrastructure modernization and investment facilitation, and institutional strengthening and climate resilience enhancement. This combined effort provides clear guidance on how to shift the system Rational Integrated Approach to Climate and Energy Policy in the SCs of East Malaysia with the aim of enabling Sabah to exemplify green state development.

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY IN SABAH, MALAYSIA: A COMPREHENSIVE SWOT/TOWS-AHP APPROCH

2026-06-25T23:42:21+08:00

This study examines the transportation industry in Sabah, Malaysia, with a particular focus on the issue of limited rural connectivity. Despite government efforts and the existence of basic transportation infrastructure, many rural communities continue to face challenges such as poor road conditions, inadequate public transportation services, insufficient maintenance, and geographical barriers including mountainous terrain and seasonal flooding. To address these issues, the study employs an integrated SWOT, TOWS, and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach to identify strategic factors, formulate improvement strategies, and prioritize actions for implementation. The SWOT analysis identifies key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats affecting rural transportation development. The TOWS matrix is then used to develop strategic alternatives, while AHP ranks these strategies according to their relative importance. The findings reveal that leveraging existing road networks and government commitment to expand digital infrastructure and smart transport solutions is the highest-priority strategy, followed by community engagement in multimodal transportation systems and the promotion of public-private partnerships. The study highlights the importance of infrastructure enhancement, technology adoption, community participation, and sustainable governance in improving rural accessibility. The proposed strategies provide practical guidance for policymakers and stakeholders to strengthen rural connectivity, support inclusive socio-economic development, and improve the quality of life of rural communities in Sabah.

FACTORS INFLUENCING INTENTION TO USE E-COMMERCE AFTER COVID-19: THE CASE OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

2026-06-27T01:53:22+08:00

This study sought to identify the variables affecting Bruneian consumers' propensity to adopt e-commerce in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. The research looked at two important variables: perceived utility and perceived usability. The dependent variable, the intention to use e-commerce, was contrasted with these components. Based on the Technology Acceptance Model, the study aimed to forecast and comprehend the factors that will encourage Bruneians to embrace online shopping in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brunei Darussalam provided data for the study's analysis. On the data, this study applied Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using Partial Least Squares (PLS). Given the study's recent appearance in the e-commerce scene, its conclusions might be useful to the government of Brunei as well as companies aiming to increase e-commerce acceptance and user base in the nation. Additionally, this study advances the field of e-commerce studies by offering new insights on the decision to embrace e-commerce during the COVID-19 epidemic, which was accompanied by a substantial shift in worldwide consumer behavior toward online shopping.

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF MALAYSIA’S FILM INDUSTRY USING SWOT/TOWS AND AHP APPROACH

2026-07-01T20:23:03+08:00

This study explores the strategic positioning of Malaysia’s film industry by integrating SWOT/TOWS analysis with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Given the film sector’s role in cultural expression and economic growth, this research identifies and prioritizes key strategic factors to guide industry development. The SWOT framework is used to categorize internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats. AHP then quantifies the importance of each factor through expert-based pairwise comparisons. The outcome is a ranked prioritization of strategic elements, enabling evidence-based decision-making. TOWS strategies are formulated from this prioritization to propose realistic interventions for sustainable industry growth. Key findings reveal that government support and cultural diversity rank highest in strengths, while censorship and funding constraints dominate weaknesses. Streaming platforms and regional collaboration present the most promising opportunities, whereas piracy and foreign dominance remain critical threats. This hybrid methodology enhances strategy formulation for Malaysia’s creative economy.