Malaysian Journal of Business and Economics (MJBE)

CONCEPTUALISING THE POTENTIAL OF DIVERSITY: HOW DIVERSE TEAMS CREATE INNOVATION AND GAIN A COMPETITIVE EDGE

Thilageswary Arumugam — 2024-12-13

This paper seeks to present a literature review on diversity and inclusion inside organisations regarding innovation. Evidence suggests that diverse teams can tap into various viewpoints to generate significant competitive advantages by enhancing strategic customer relations and market orientation. Unique teams may have challenges in decision-making, but management practices positively influence facts, creativity, and quality work. This paper briefly reviews diversity and inclusion, whereby diversity merely brings in a mix of different people, inclusion effectively uses these diverse groups correctly. The article concludes by pointing out that it is not only the extension of a hand of fellowship to minorities but also the call for them to grasp the chance and positively impact the achievement scores of the organisations.

THE INFLUENCE OF COMPANY SIZE AND PROFITABILITY ON CARBON ACCOUNTING INFORMATION DISCLOSURE: EVIDENCE FROM THE SHANGHAI A-SHARE HEAVILY POLLUTING INDUSTRIES

Yi Hua Luo — 2024-12-13

In this study, the relationship among firm size, profitability, and carbon accounting information disclosure (CAID) of 131 highly polluting Shanghai A-share listed companies was analysed using a multivariate regression approach based on the stakeholder theory. The results revealed that larger and more profitable companies were more transparent in disclosing carbon accounting information, which aligned with stakeholder expectations. This study enhanced the comprehension of the interplay between company characteristics and CAID dynamics and emphasised its pivotal role in fostering sustainability and transparency. The insights are valuable for policymakers, industry experts, and stakeholders and guide environmentally responsible business practices.

UNVEILING WAGE THEFT: EXPLORING THEMES, IMPLICATIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Donna Elizabeth Barclay — 2024-12-13

Wage theft remains a persistent and multifaceted issue in contemporary labour landscapes. It is characterised by unfair practices, inadequate regulatory frameworks, and socioeconomic inequalities. This research aims to investigate key themes surrounding wage theft and its implications for individuals and society through a thematic analysis of existing literature. The findings reveal several prominent themes. These include the impact of minimum wage policy, pandemic-induced wage theft, legal, policy and institutional factors, social and economic consequences, worker vulnerability and protection, and human rights and social justice. The analysis also highlights several key takeaways. This paper also proposes recommendations to future research in terms of sampling selection, methodology, development of research questions, drafting operational definition, research design, research approach, instruments selection, study population and emerging research topics. By addressing these research gaps, policymakers, practitioners, and advocates can advance efforts to combat wage theft and promote fair and equitable labour practices in diverse work settings.

INFLUENCE OF SUBJECTIVE NORMS ON SHAPING CONSUMER PURCHASE INTENTIONS: A STRUCTURED REVIEW

Lim Ai Ling — 2024-12-13

The study explores the influence of subjective norms on shaping consumer purchase intentions, focusing on how social influence impacts decision-making across diverse contexts. Subjective norms, derived from the perceived social pressure to engage in or refrain from a particular behavior, are critical in understanding consumer behavior. Despite the extensive research on factors influencing purchase intentions, the role of subjective norms has remained relatively underexplored. This systematic literature review addresses this gap by analysing empirical findings from recent studies, applying a structured methodology guided by the PRISMA framework. The data is collected from reputable databases, ensuring a comprehensive selection of relevant literature. To achieve this, we extensively searched scholarly articles from reputable databases such as Scopus and Science Direct, focusing on studies published between 2022 and 2024. The flow of study based on PRISMA framework. The database found (n=34) final primary data was analysed. The finding was divided into three themes which is (1) Consumer Behaviour and Purchase Intentions, (2) Environmental and Ethical Consumption and (3) Social Influence and Technological Factors Based. The review uncovers consistent evidence that subjective norms, when combined with factors such as attitudes, perceived behavioural control, and social media influence, strongly shape purchase behaviour. Moreover, the moderating role of social groups, and technological adoption is highlighted, demonstrating the complexity of the decision-making process. This review underscores the necessity for marketers and policymakers to consider subjective norms as a pivotal factor in predicting and influencing consumer behaviour, with implications for developing more targeted and effective marketing strategies.

THE EFFECTS OF SELECTION ATTRIBUTES OF CAFÉ ON REVISIT INTENTION: A CONCEPTUAL STUDY

Chin Jin Bui — 2024-12-13

The objective of this study is to examine the effects of selection attributes of cafe on revisit intention in Malaysia. The cafe industry in Malaysia has undergone significant growth driven by factors such as urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and a growing appreciation for specialty coffee. As a result, there have been expansion and diversification, mirroring global trends in the food and beverage sector. In light of the expanding numbers of cafe and the growing desire for unique culinary experiences, customers have more choices whereby their intention to revisit the same cafe might be affected. Therefore, this paper attempts to explore the factors that influence on revisit intention among customers of cafe in Sabah, Malaysia. Some of the issues being highlighted in the literature previously associated with the cafe industry in Malaysia are related to unpleasant customer experience, pricing and value perception misalignment, lack of accessibility and convenience. Thus, this paper discusses the main problems faced by cafe in Sabah related to the factors that effect on revisit intention of customers.

DOES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A MORATORIUM BRING POSITIVE SHOCK TO THE BANK STOCK PRICE AMIDST THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC?

Azmi Majid — 2024-12-13

Malaysia was the only nation that provided moratorium on loan repayment in a blanket basis during the global pandemic. Thus, this study examines the whether moratorium has a contractionary or an expansionary impact from the perspective of loan repayment towards the volatility of banking stock prices listed in Bursa Malaysia. The Exponential GARCH (EGARCH) was employed with daily data from 2 January 2019 to 31 December 2021. The empirical findings showed that the loan-repayment moratorium induced a positive shock to the volatility of Hong Leong Bank, Public Bank, RHB Bank, and Alliance Bank. However, all these banks exhibit a leverage effect, and negative shocks were more pronounced towards their stock price volatility during the moratorium implementation. The findings were crucial for investors and authorities to understand the impact of a moratorium on the banks towards the stock price.

ARE DIGITAL SPILLOVERS IMPORTANT FOR INNOVATION AND FIRM PRODUCTIVITY? EVIDENCE FROM MALAYSIAN MANUFACTURING SECTOR

Liew Feng Mei — 2024-12-13

Industry 4.0 has prompted Malaysia’s manufacturing firms to enhance their innovation and technological capabilities. Digital spillovers are vital in capturing the full impact of digitalization because the externalities created by digital adoption can be spread across the entire economy. However, scarce studies have considered digital spillovers in the analysis. This research uses the sequential CDM model to examine the relationships between firm characteristics, digital spillovers, innovation and productivity of Malaysian manufacturing firms. The firm-level data that comprises 14,723 Malaysian manufacturing firms is used for data analysis. The results reveal that the firm characteristics and horizontal digital spillover positively influence innovation and firm productivity, as opposed to the backward digital spillover. On the other hand, the effects of internal and forward digital spillovers on the innovation output and firm productivity are relatively mixed. It suggests that manufacturing firms respond differently to information flows from various stakeholders on digital platforms, applying them uniquely to their production methods and business operations. The government is encouraged to support manufacturing firms, especially the SMEs, in leveraging digitalization to improve their performance and competitiveness.

ENVIRONMENTAL ATTITUDE AS MEDIATOR IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD CONSUMPTION INTENTION AMONG YOUTH CONSUMERS IN MALAYSIA

Malisah Latip — 2024-12-13

Sustainable food consumption (SFC) stands as a critical solution to address the urgent global challenges posed by food security, environmental degradation, and public health concerns. Amidst issues like climate change and resource depletion, transitioning to sustainable food systems becomes imperative for safeguarding the well-being of current and future generations. This study aims to investigate the impact of environmental attitudes and environmental concerns on SFC intention among Malaysian university students. Additionally, the research seeks to examine the mediating role of environmental attitude in the relationship between environmental concern and SFC intention. Utilizing structural equation modelling in SPSS AMOS, the findings reveal significant positive influences of both environmental attitude and environmental concern on SFC intention. Environmental attitude is found to partially mediate the relationship between environmental concern and SFC intention. Fostering positive environmental attitudes and increasing environmental concern among individuals can encourage the adoption of SFC practices, contributing to mitigating environmental degradation and promoting a healthier planet for future generations. This study contributes to academia by providing empirical evidence on the determinants of SFC intention among Malaysian university students, filling a gap in the literature on SFC in the Malaysian context. It provides insights for policymakers, highlighting the significance of addressing psychological factors to promote SFC behaviours among youth. Practitioners can utilize these findings to design targeted interventions and educational campaigns, fostering environmentally conscious attitudes and behaviours among consumers.

THE DYNAMICS BETWEEN MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS TOWARDS ECONOMIC GROWTH AMONG ASEAN-5 COUNTRIES USING PANEL ANALYSIS

Ng Kuang Yong — 2024-12-13

This study aims to identify the most appropriate model for conducting panel data analysis on the macroeconomic indicators towards the economic growth in ASEAN-5 countries. The research focuses on five countries: Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia, covering the period from 1980 to 2019. The independent variables under investigation include inflation, percentage of money supply to GDP, trade openness, and population. Three models are utilized including the common constant model, fixed effect model, and random effects model. To determine the most suitable model, the researchers employ the Redundant fixed effects test and the Hausman test for specification testing. The fixed effect model emerges as the most adequate model. The significant P-values obtained from both tests provide evidence in favor of the fixed effect model, indicating that it is the most appropriate choice for understanding the relationships between the independent variables and economic growth in the ASEAN-5 countries. The findings of the fixed effect model show that inflation and money supply are negatively and significantly related to economic growth at the 1% level. Trade openness is positively related to economic growth, but not significantly. Additionally, the population has a significantly positive relationship with economic growth.

DETERMINANTS OF SABAH TAMU BUSINESS OPERATOR'S MOTIVATION TO REMAIN IN THE TAMU BUSINESS

Jaratin Lily — 2024-12-13

The Tamu, the traditional market known in Sabah, is a platform for entrepreneurial activity. This study aims to determine factors influencing Sabah Tamu business operator's motivation to remain in the Tamu business. The self-administered questionnaires were distributed through in-person survey and online survey. There were 125 questionnaires successfully gathered for data analysis. The findings showed that entrepreneurs' attitude, skill and resources positively affect the Tamu business operator's motivation to remain in the Tamu business. However, socio-cultural has no significant relationship with the motivation to remain of Sabah Tamu operators. The study results provide insight into the Tamu business operator's motivation to remain in the Tamu business, which government agencies may consider mitigating the adverse financial impact faced by the operator of the Tamu through relevant regulations and support programmes.

EXAMINING INFLUENTIAL ELEMENTS IMPACTING PERFORMANCE IN SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING WITHIN MALAYSIAN ENTERPRISES: A CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS

Ang Hong Loong — 2024-12-13

This study aims to examine the impact of sustainable manufacturing factors on the performance of Malaysian manufacturing enterprises. It emphasizes sustainable innovation, quality, cost efficiency, delivery, and operational flexibility. This study adopted Dynamic Capabilities theory and aims to offer beneficial insights to manufacturing enterprises in Malaysia. The primary purpose is to propose a conceptual model for sustainable manufacturing which enhances organizational performance. This study needs more empirical validation in literature, especially on dynamic capabilities, sustainable innovation and flexibility dimensionality in predicting organizational performance, since all three factors presented a strong theoretical basis for affecting organizational performance. Future studies should explore quantitative methods and alternative samples to improve generalizability of the results. This conceptual study highlights the role that sustainable innovation and flexibility play in determining organizational performance, while also illustrating the need to incorporate these factors within sustainable manufacturing methodologies. In addition, it provides manufacturing enterprise stakeholders with insights that help them reinforce their strategic narrative to the advantages of sustainable manufacturing. The study not only offers valuable insight to policy makers, industry experts and the academic community, but it also highlights the need for more empirical research to explore and examine upon these conceptual insights.

INTEGRATING LOGISTICS, GREEN ECONOMICS AND SUSTAINABILITY. A PATHWAY TO A SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAIN

Ho Ngoc Le Vy — 2024-12-13

This study explores the integration of green principles in the logistics and tourism sectors, focusing on sustainable practices and their theoretical underpinnings. The qualitative study using Thematic Analysis was used. The study interviews 2 respondents, one from the logistic sector and the other from the field of tourism. Utilizing Sustainable Development Theory, Ecological Modernization Theory, Resource-Based Theory, and Stakeholder Theory, the research examines thematic elements such as sustainable transportation, resource efficiency, stakeholder collaboration, and eco-friendly practices. The findings reveal that adopting energy-efficient technologies, engaging stakeholders, and leveraging local resources contribute to reduced environmental impacts and enhanced operational efficiency. This framework provides a comprehensive approach for industries to achieve sustainability while balancing economic growth and environmental responsibility. The study highlights the interconnectedness of logistics and tourism in driving global green initiatives.