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Issues Faced by Micro Businesses during COVID-19: The Integration of Lean Practices and TRIZ

This research illustrates the importance of micro-businesses in Malaysia and the country's economy. This is followed by the issues they face during COVID-19, including supply chain disruptions, profit loss and challenges in gaining financial aid, adjusting to online business, and retaining workers’ motivation. To address these obstacles, the use of lean practices and TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) methodologies was suggested. Furthermore, past research on the issues that micro businesses face during COVID-19 and lean practices and TRIZ’s potential to solve these issues are reviewed. Data collection will be conducted through semi-structured interviews, focus groups, observation, and document analysis, followed by data analysis through the thematic analysis method. Based on the qualitative analysis results, a model was suggested to demonstrate the association between the key themes emerging from the data. As the study unfolds, it is expected to unveil how lean practices synergize with TRIZ methodologies, enabling a dynamic and holistic response to the multifaceted challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. By strategically aligning these two potent strategies, the model is poised to illuminate pathways toward enhanced operational efficacy, resilience in the face of supply chain disruptions, creative adaptation to the digital realm, and the nurturing of workforce motivation and engagement. As a conclusion, the integration of lean practices and TRIZ helps Malaysia’s micro businesses enhance their operations and adjust to the issues in the current economic environment after COVID-19

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MICRO WAQF BANK FOR EMPOWERMENT OF INDONESIAN WOMEN'S MICROECONOMIC AND EFFORTS MINIMIZING THE LOANSHER TRAP

Fulfilling household needs for a woman is required to be able to obtain and manage halal-sourced finances from a small and micro-entrepreneur. The trap of conventional and online loan sharks poses a significant risk to the borrower's assets due to the lack of business capital they have in the short term. Establishing a micro waqf bank initiated by the financial services authority in Indonesia aims to provide business financing, assistance and financing sourced from zakat, infaq, sadaqah and waqf relying on Islamic social microfinance institutions. This study aims to analyse micro waqf bank woman customers with small and micro-entrepreneurs to avoid entrapment by a loan shark. The study at the El-Manahij Micro Waqf Bank, Lebak Regency, Banten Province, Indonesia, used qualitative descriptive types through data collection interviews with managers and the head in weekly halaqah. In contrast, data analysis used triangulation: data reduction, display, verification and conclusion. Research shows that most micro waqf bank customers are women with micro-scale enterprises to improve Islamic economy studies. Customers choose micro waqf banks to replace loan sharks providing their business capital and having regular activities in the form of weekly group meetings aimed at knowing business progress, religious studies and gradual loan repayments. Micro waqf bank managers receive pawned valuables with sharia contracts to increase business capital. The customers are responsible for repaying business loans in stages, running social gatherings for customers to obtain excess money and supervising fellow customers. The research implies that getting away from the snares of loan sharks can minimise the burden of living costs where they live. The significant role of micro waqf banks in providing Sharia pawn support is to increase business capital to limit dealing with loan sharks.

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KESAN HUBUNGAN POLITIK TERHADAP PRESTASI SAHAM DI NEGARA-NEGARA ASEAN: ULASAN KRITIS

The relationship between politics and the share market has always been a global concern and extensively debated in academic disciplines such as management studies, finance, accounting, business, economics, and social sciences. The effects of this relationship have yet to be generalized as guidance for stakeholders such as investors, shareholders, companies, and governments. Therefore, this study aims to critically review existing literature on the impact of the political relationship on share performance in the share markets of three ASEAN countries (Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia). Specifically, this research will assess the theoretical and empirical aspects of the relationship between politics and share performance to identify existing gaps for future studies. This study has identified several crucial aspects from theoretical, operational, measurement, contextual, and methodological perspectives in empirical research. Moreover, the results of previous literature have not yet been generalized to a broader context, sector, and population. Furthermore, this study has proposed various research avenues to facilitate a deeper understanding of the relationship between politics and share performance. Based on this study, it can be concluded that previous research findings on the relationship between politically connected firms and share performance are still inconclusive and inconsistent. Finally, the implications of this study for policy, theory, and practice are discussed.

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