International Journal of Management, Finance and Accounting

A Study on the Impact of Financial Incentives and Work Environment on Employee Motivation to Work: A Case Study of Employees of Paradise Estate Management Company

Okoye Shedrach Obumneme, Farha Ghapar — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0800

The study aims to investigate the impact of financial incentives and workplace environment on employee work motivation. Individually, the study examines the impact of work allowances, employee wages, organisational culture, and internal communication on employee motivation to work in an organisation. The research employed a survey research design. The population of the study focused on the employees of Paradise Estate Management Company. A total of 79 respondents were selected from a pool of 120 employees in the organisation. The questionnaires were administered and distributed to respondents through Google Form. Multiple regression analysis was adopted to test the different hypotheses. The findings indicate that employee motivation is influenced by various factors within the work environment. These include internal communication and organisational culture, as well as financial incentives such as employee wages and work allowances.

Impact of Work From Home Factors on Employee Work Engagement

Okoye Shedrach Obumneme, Muhammad Nizam Zainuddin — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0800

The aim of the study is to examine the various work from home related factors which help in bringing about improved employee work engagement based on the work assigned to them. The study employed a quantitative research approach, positivism research philosophy, and case study research design. The study made use of 201 participants, with data collected through questionnaire and online survey tool (Google Form). Participants for the study were sampled from AmIT Global Solutions, AppCable Sdn Bhd, IWG 3.2, Regus Management Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Deventure Sdn Bhd, and Texas Instruments. Thethree hypotheses proposed in the study were examined using multiple regression analysis. The results show that work from home autonomy, safety, and convenience increase employee engagement levels. The findings implied that work from home when adopted and implemented in an effective manner, increases employee work engagement. The results also aligned with the assumption of Herzberg Two Factor theory which holds on to the impact of work from home autonomy, which is a motivational factor and the impact of work from home safety and convenience, which are hygiene factors. In the absence of both factors, employees are less engaged (disengaged). The study has a limitation of small sample size with quantitative research approach.

Product Team in Transition: A Qualitative Case Study of Team Motivation and Collaboration during Agile Adaptation

Ahmad Murtadha Abdul Wahab, Magiswary Dorasamy, Abdul Aziz Ahmad — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0800

Agile approaches have received organisation acceptance as effective frameworks for managing complicated projects in rapidly changing situations. This study explores the challenges of agile adaptation in product team motivation that attempted to implement the existing agile adaptation. In order to implement the agile adaptation, it is essential for the product team to make adjustments and collaborate with others. Inadequate procedures and outside factors have been identified by some studies as barriers to existing agile adaptation (Conboy et al., 2011). Although implementing an agile approach has numerous advantages, doing so can be more complex with adaption and modification processes, especially to align with the organisation's working environment, current team motivation or the effectiveness of current collaboration. These require extensive changes across the team. Intrinsic motivation is crucial for high levels of output and quality. The qualitative method of semi-structured interviews was chosen to focus in-depth on agile practitioners' mindsets and adaptation acceptance who had just undergone agile adaptation experience. Interviews with five experienced agile practitioners in a telecommunications company were conducted to analyse a product team, its dynamics and behaviours, and what has been learned about human interactions, such as motivation and collaboration in the context of agile adaption, conflict, and challenges. We found that it is important for an agile product team with multidisciplinary expertise to work towards a common goal, foster team spirit, share the vision, and set clear goals with good collaboration and flexibility in reprioritising the tasks.

The Impact of Social Media Advertising on Online Shopping Preferences in Nilai City, Malaysia

Fatimah Az Zahra Zulkifli, Shahrina Ismail, Sharifah Fairuz Syed Mohamad — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0800

Social media advertisements can influence consumers' purchasing preferences by impacting their awareness, attitude, trust, and intention towards the advertised products, services, or brands. This study aims to achieve two objectives: firstly, to determine the correlation between independent variables (security, privacy, product features, social influence, and promotion) and secondly, to examine the relationship between independent variables and dependent variables (online shopping purchasing preference among shoppers in Nilai). Convenience sampling was used to collect survey data, with questionnaires distributed through various online platforms to respondents residing in Nilai. A total of 272 responses were collected. The study utilized a Pearson correlation model and multiple linear regression to achieve the objectives. The R-squared value of 0.564 indicates that the model can explain almost half of the variability in the dependent variables. The results reveal no negative correlations among the independent variables. The weakest correlation observed is between promotion and product features at 0.392. Conversely, the strongest correlation is between security and privacy, with a coefficient of 0.703, indicating a significant influence of security on privacy. In the multiple linear regression model, four independent variables—security, product features, social influence, and promotion—significantly impact the dependent variable.

Examining the Offline Shopping Preferences of Millennial Women: A Comprehensive Review

Ilham Khalisah Khairuddin, Anusuyah A/P Subbarao — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0800

This paper explores the offline shopping preferences of millennial women and strategies to enhance their shopping experience in malls. The study begins with an overview of offline shopping, defining shopping malls, in-store experiences, and the evolving landscape of offline shopping. It also characterizes millennial women and their unique preferences. The literature review identifies three main factors influencing offline shopping: socio-cultural, psychological, and environmental. These factors are analysed separately to understand their impact on millennial women's shopping behaviours. Additionally, the paper examines various mall strategies aimed at increasing millennial women's intention to shop offline, categorized into development, environment, and marketing & promotion. The conceptual framework integrates these factors and strategies, providing a comprehensive understanding of their interplay. Discussions highlight theoretical and practical implications while acknowledging limitations and suggesting areas for future research. This framework aims to guide retailers in effectively enhancing the offline shopping experience for millennial women and offers a foundation for further academic inquiry.

Understanding the Resistance Towards Apple Pay among Malaysians

Krishna Moorthy, Yong Qing Low , Chun T'ing Loh — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0800

This study investigates the resistance towards Apple Pay among Malaysians. The research is supported by the Innovation Resistance Model (IRT), which offers a comprehensive framework to understand and analyze the factors that impede the acceptance and usage of technological innovations. The study utilizes a quantitative approach, employing a questionnaire survey to collect data from a sample of Malaysian consumers. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) is utilized for data analysis. The findings shed light on the specific barriers that Malaysians encounter when considering the adoption of Apple Pay, including the usage barrier, value barrier, risk barrier, tradition barrier, and image barrier. The results provide insights into the underlying reasons behind resistance towards Apple Pay and contribute to the existing body of knowledge on mobile payment adoption. The study's implications offer valuable recommendations for businesses, policymakers, and other stakeholders seeking to promote the wider acceptance and adoption of Apple Pay in the Malaysian context. By addressing these barriers, it is possible to foster trust, enhance user experience, and facilitate the integration of Apple Pay into the everyday lives of Malaysians, thereby transforming the landscape of mobile payments in the country.

Determinants of Subjective Well-Being of Migrants: A Systematic Review

Medonka Peiris — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0800

The study aims to comprehensively analyze existing literature to derive insights into the determinants of Subjective Well-being (SWB) among migrants and identify underexplored areas within the research landscape, proposing directions for future studies. Utilizing the PRISMA framework, 22 relevant peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2024 were selected, excluding books, conference proceedings, and dissertations. The analysis considered factors such as publication year, geographical scope, methodology, and sector. The findings of this investigation reveal that research on migrants’ SWB is predominantly quantitative, with a significant lack of nuanced perspectives. Most studies focus on developed countries, resulting in an underrepresentation of developing regions. Further, more economic, psychological, and legal exploration is needed, particularly in diverse sectors and marginalized groups, to inform comprehensive support and policy measures. A significant contribution of this study lies in presenting a conceptual model that enriches the theoretical comprehension of the determinants influencing migrants’ SWB. It furnishes invaluable insights into the multifaceted interplay of environmental, societal, economic, demographic, and legal factors in shaping the well-being of migrants. By addressing these identified gaps, future research endeavours have the potential to provide evidence-based insights that can effectively guide policymakers and other relevant organizations in improving the well-being of migrants across different contexts.

Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Healthcare Expenditures in Selected Asian Countries

Nurin Amni Aqilah Cek Ahmad Azam, Mazlynda Md Yusuf — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0800

The rising cost of healthcare in Asian countries has become a matter of concern, reflecting an extensive influence of socioeconomic factors. This study highlighted that the financial burden on healthcare systems is crucial for ensuring sustainable and equitable access to medical services. However, the impact of socioeconomic factors on healthcare expenditures varies across countries and regions. Therefore, this study seeks to determine socioeconomic factors affecting healthcare expenditures in 10 Asian countries, utilising annual data starting from 2006 to 2020. By employing panel data analysis and the model of fixed effect with a feasible generalised least squares method, the finding shows that the impact of variations in factors such as life expectancy and urbanisation are positive and significant towards healthcare expenditures. Meanwhile, the gross domestic product (GDP) and unemployment rate adversely affect healthcare expenditures, and the findings indicate significant relationships between these variables and healthcare spending. Hence, the finding suggests that the government should look into the substantial healthcare costs and increase investments and funds to reduce the financial load on the country’s healthcare sectors and ensure that the healthcare industry is well-equipped to handle rising demand and deliver high-quality services to the public.

Cooperative Preschool Education in Ethnic China: Ulanqab Case Study

Yu Dong, Siow-Hooi Tan, Hway-Boon Ong — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0800

The integrated education of family, kindergarten, and community is crucial for children’s development. However, in China’s ethnic regions, preschool education faces significant shortcomings, with limited community involvement and consideration of ethnic characteristics. This study aims to address these gaps by proposing a conceptual framework tailored for ethnic areas, focusing on the Ulanqab region. Drawing on domestic and international research, we develop a model comprising family, preschool, and community inputs, emphasising the importance of community participation. The model includes educational inputs, educational processes, and target outcomes, with the goal of improving preschool education quality. Through this research, we seek to understand the effectiveness of preschool education in ethnic areas and provide insights for creating a high-quality education system benefiting all children.

Factors Influencing Non-Performing Loans between Islamic and Conventional Banks in Malaysia

Najwa Hanisah Mohd Azmi, Sharifah Fairuz Syed Mohamad, Shahrina ismail — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0800

This study reveals the long-term effects of several variables on Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) in Islamic banks (IBs) and conventional banks (CBs) in Malaysia. Using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) technique, the study supports a proactive approach and finds a persistent association between NPLs and asset quality, loan quality, unemployment rate, and inflation rate. Using the ARDL approach, the analysis covers the monthly period from 2018 to early 2021. This study aims to investigate NPLs at two different times: before and after the COVID-19 epidemic. The findings indicate that The ARDL model identifies Loan Quality 1 and 2 as significant influencers of NPLs in Malaysia's CBs. At the same time, asset quality and the unemployment rate show no significant impact. In contrast, IBs show a strong positive correlation between Asset Quality and NPL, with economic factors like the Unemployment Rate and Inflation Rate significantly affecting NPL, reflecting the unique risk-sharing nature of Islamic finance. These findings necessitate improved risk management strategies in both banking sectors.

Attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Madani Economy: What factors matter?

Yi Shan Chong, Chee Lip Tee — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0800

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has long been acknowledged as a vital driver of economic development, and Southeast Asia stands out as a prime destination for such investments. However, Malaysia's share of FDI in the region has been diminishing, signalling a loss of competitiveness. In response, the Malaysian government has prioritized enhancing competitive strength in its recent development framework, Madani Economy. This study aims to shed light on the factors that require greater attention to achieve these objectives. Utilizing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach and monthly data spanning from 2010 to 2019, the findings underscore the importance of growing market size and currency appreciation in attracting FDI inflows to Malaysia, indicative of the predominance of market-seeking FDI in the nation's economy. Meanwhile, a negative relationship between population growth and FDI inflows is observed, likely due to concerns about rising unemployment and dampening economic growth resulting from a growing population. These findings imply that to attract FDI inflows successfully, greater emphasis should be placed on developing the domestic market, given the significant role of market-seeking FDI in Malaysia. Additionally, it suggests the necessity for Malaysia to prioritize the development of environmentally friendly production approaches, as the burgeoning population places greater strain on resources, potentially reducing availability for multinational enterprises. Coincidentally, this aligns with the increasing global consciousness surrounding sustainable development, as evidenced by growing concerns regarding energy production and water supply, epitomized by initiatives like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These efforts indirectly foster long-term economic development by prioritizing environmental sustainability alongside economic prosperity.

The Mediating Effect of Job Satisfaction Between Organizational Learning and Job Performance

Alaa S. Jameel — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0800

This study aims to find the impact of organizational learning on job performance among preparatory school teachers through the mediator role of job satisfaction. A survey was conducted at six preparatory schools in Heet City, Iraq. The study employed stratified random sampling to ensure a fair representation of samples from all six schools, and a questionnaire was used to collect the data. The results from 183 valid questionnaires were analyzed using Smart-PLS, indicating that organizational learning positively and significantly impacted a teacher’s performance. Moreover, job satisfaction also showed a significant positive effect on job performance. Additionally, organizational learning has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction. The model indicated that job satisfaction mediated the relationship between organizational learning and job performance. This study enriched the body of knowledge in the context of Iraq. It contributed to the literature by examining the mediator role of job satisfaction in the relationship between organizational learning and job performance by focusing on schools as the samples. Practical implications suggest that schools could adopt various innovative approaches to increase job satisfaction among preparatory school teachers to increase job performance.

Convertible Bond Pricing in Chinese Transportation Industry : A Comparison Methods Between Binomial Tree model and Black-Scholes Model

Zirui Peng, Xinrui Qian, Chui Zi Ong — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0800

One bond type that can lower financing costs for the issuer is a convertible bond. Additionally, its characteristic with option value gives investors access to high-yielding, low-drawdown, and superior investment instruments. Exactly, convertible bonds have a strong market appeal to investors. In recent years, the issuance scale of convertible bonds has continued to expand, and its share in the bond market has gradually increased. Fair pricing is essential to maintaining the convertible bond market’s smooth operation. In light of this, the convertible bonds in the transportation sector listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange are chosen for this article. Following the acquisition of the fundamental data pertaining to convertible bonds, the bonds are fitted into the bond list using the Black-Scholes and Binomial Tree models. The theoretical value is then priced empirically after other pertinent factors have been duly taken into account. Comparing the estimation with their actual values to obtain the efficiency results, which indicates that Black-Scholes model yields a more accurate estimation than any Binomial Tree model with preset step sizes. The holistic undervaluation means the favorable sentiments of investors towards it. In summary, the contribution of pricing projects to the operation of underlying industries and the economy boost inspired.