Malaysian Engineers Research Articles

Malaysian Firms’ Role in Retaining Engineers

AbstractAn impediment to Malaysia’s drive for knowledge economy status is thought to be a very high rate of labour mobility — overseas, to Singapore, and inter-firm — by knowledge workers, particularly engineers. While a strong external labour market may be a sign of economic dynamism, very high turnover rates may indicate a failure of the sort of organisational attachment among professionals that is needed to foster organisational learning. Moreover a ‘brain drain’ from the country of Malaysian-educated engineers remains an ongoing concern. Although this phenomenon is popularly attributed to the ‘job-hopping’ propensities of young Malaysians, it is argued here that firms, through their human resource management (HRM) practices, have an important role to play in encouraging stronger rates of knowledge worker retention. The article reports on research findings indicating varying levels of organisational commitment by a sample of Malaysian engineers. It examines possible links between high turnover and HRM approaches that afford employees few other forms of voice than exiting the firm. Evidence is provided that employee participation in decision-making, particularly relating to training and development, and the perceived fairness of performance appraisal practices, contribute to feelings of perceived organisational support (POS), and that this sense of support influences engineers’ commitment and thus turnover intentions.

Evaluating the Soft Skills Performed by Applicants of Malaysian Engineers

The paper proposed a formula to calculate the soft skills performed by engineering graduates. The equation derived from a finding of survey on employer's preference for employability skills. The input collected from a sample of 301 engineering industries employers from twelve natures of business located in Kelang Valley. The survey addressed a number of questions related to the level of requirement of engineering employability skills according to their industry's needs. The findings in terms of skills development derived differences weight among the skills required by the industries. This study focuses on soft skills valued by employers that slightly higher than technical skills for engineering professionals. The paper has a suggestion for employers and undergraduates on measuring the soft skills performed by young graduates. Furthermore, employers facing evaluation quality assessment might find this approach provides useful evidence for the assessment process to the job interviewed candidate.

Islam and Modernity: A Case of Muslim Female Engineers in Malaysia

Malaysia is portrayed as one of the modern and developed Muslim nations. Its rapid modern development in physical structure impressed many people. However, little is known about the situation of its non-physical structure, particularly the religious and normative values. This paper rests on the stance that individuals’ religious values remain despite the nation’s effort towards modernisation, particularly in the relations of women and profession. To achieve the purpose, this article explores the paradoxes relating to the intricate relationships between the traditional feminine social expectations and modern engineering profession experienced by Muslim female engineers and students in Malaysia. The research is a structured interview design on thirty-six Muslim female engineers and engineering students. It found that there were potential self-presentation crises, particularly when women participated in a male-dominated workplace. The gendering issues in engineering overwhelmingly projected the collision between modernism and traditionalism. Such a blending situation depended on very careful management as being women with a clear expectation towards traditional feminine roles and responsibilities, while at the same time they have to present themselves in a business-like, modern manner in terms of competence, commitment and ambitious targets to claim a rightful place in the engineering world. Modernisation has not been able to change women’s traditional attitude. Though they may be modernised, educated and professional, these women are still traditional at heart.

Ethical challenges in the workplace: Are these future engineers prepared?

Ethics in engineering is not a new issue; however it has become an increasing concern in Malaysia. Studies investigating the ethical awareness of future engineers in Malaysia are scarce. For this reason, this study attempts to determine the level of ethical awareness of engineering students. A total of 451 final year engineering students from two cohorts in Malaysian public universities have participated in this study. An inventory of multiple context ethical situations is used to assess ethical awareness. Findings show that, in general, students show a good level of ethical awareness. These students appear to have higher level of ethical awareness when compared to accounting students. Between gender, female engineering students seem to have higher ethical awareness than their male counterpart. Among recommendations is to expose the students to be aware of some workplace and business-related ethical issues.

Gauging the Reliability of Structural Design for Buildings and Infrastructures from Malaysian Engineers’ Viewpoint

From a structural design engineer's viewpoint, the focus of design is to ensure that the finished product, i.e. building or infrastructure can perform to the satisfaction of the client, in terms of strength, robustness and rigidity to ensure reliability in strength and serviceability. And if both of these are met, then the designed structure is considered safe and serviceable. But the question would arise on its reliability in structural design and construction. Insofar as the finished structure is concerned, four areas of uncertainty are questionable. They are:•Properties of materials used,•Expected loadings to be exerted, nature and magnitude-wise,•Workmanship or skills in implementation, and•Structural responses due to loading exertedThis paper is aimed at utilizing statistical results obtained from tests undertaken on structural specimens to study the impact on reliability of existing structures in Malaysia. The data used is available from private and certified testing agencies and Government Department of Meteorology. Statistical analysis is carried out to gauge how widespread are the various test results obtained (for example, concrete cube strengths). And from thereon, the authors would attempt to extrapolate the corresponding effect on the four areas of uncertainty as mentioned above. From this study, it is hoped that the reliability of designed structures can be quantified in a manner which can be used to gauge the expected performance of the designed structure.

Technical Cooperation for Paddy Field Irrigation Engineering in Malaysia (II)

Technical Cooperation for Paddy Field Irrigation Engineering in Malaysia (II)

Technical Cooperation for Paddy Field Irrigation Engineering in Malaysia (V)

Technical Cooperation for Paddy Field Irrigation Engineering in Malaysia (V)

Technical Cooperation for Paddy Field Irrigation Engineering in Malaysia (IV)

Technical Cooperation for Paddy Field Irrigation Engineering in Malaysia (IV)

Technical Cooperation for Paddy Field Irrigation Engineering in Malaysia (III)

Technical Cooperation for Paddy Field Irrigation Engineering in Malaysia (III)

Spatial Variability of Irrigation Water Percolation Rates and Its Relation to Rice Productivity

Problem statement: Study on spatial variability of vertical saturated hydraulic conductivity or percolation loss was conducted within a plot of an area of 1.2 ha paddy plot to find out the relationship between percolation rate and rice productivity. A paddy soil condition that permits percolation rate of 10-20 mm irrigation water day-1 was recommended in order to get high yield of rice. This value is very high when compared to typical values from 1-4 mm day-1 for the Malaysian engineers practiced in paddy fields. Approach: This study presented results of a study that relate the distribution of percolation rates with respect to rice yield productivity. Soil samples at 36 sampling points were collected. DGPS was used to locate the sampling points and then rice yields of the same point were collected. The relationship was determined by statistical correlation factor. Kriging method was used to map the distribution of percolation and yield. Results: The results of the study showed that percolation loss was very low and varied even within a small area. Spatial variability maps show that the area of high percolation rates is the same area that produced high yield. Even though high yields can be obtained from the areas of high percolation rate, it may not be the optimum rate. Conclusion: Higher yield within the area of high percolation may be due to less toxic since it is easily be drained out.

Technical cooperation for paddy field irrigation engineering in Malaysia

Technical cooperation for paddy field irrigation engineering in Malaysia

Antecedents and Outcomes of Organisational Commitment among Malaysian Engineers

This study explores the major factors contributing to organizational commitment among engineers in Malaysia. It identifies the effects of certain antecedents on organizational commitment and evaluates the impact of organizational commitment to organizational outcomes. From the literature review, a theoretical foundation for the study was compiled and two hypotheses were established. Firstly, positive employee perception leads to higher organizational commitment. Secondly, higher organizational commitment brings positive organizational outcomes. A questionnaire survey of Malaysian engineers established that employee perception and attitudinal characteristics have a significant influence on organizational commitment, while organizational commitment and behavioral characteristics directly affect organizational outcomes. The research demonstrates that positive employee perception enhances organizational commitment, which, in turn, leads to positive organizational outcomes.

Biomedical Engineering in Malaysia

Biomedical Engineering in Malaysia

Perception of Professional Engineers toward Quality of Worklife and Organizational Commitment: A Case Study

This empirical investigation was aimed to determine the pattern of the relationships between the perceived presence of quality of worklife (QWL) factors and organizational commitment using samples from professional engineers in Malaysia. Engineers in private sector were selected to participate in this study. A total of 250 sets of questionnaires were sent to the selected organizations, and 152 useable questionnaire representing a response rate of 60.8% were used for statistical analysis. A QWL measure consisting of seven factors: growth and development, participation, physical environment, supervision, pay and benefit, social relevance, and workplace integration was developed based on Walton’s (1974) conception. The three-component model and measure of organizational commitment developed by Allen and Meyer (1990) was adopted in this study. Results of regression analysis indicated that only two QWL factors, growth and development and pay and benefit, were significant in explaining organizational commitment. Implication and suggestions for further research are also discussed.

Constructability implementation: a survey in the Malaysian construction industry

Twenty-three constructability concepts are identified. Based on these, an industry-wide questionnaire was administrated in Peninsular Malaysia. The respondents were the engineers working with owners, consultants, contractors, subcontractors and construction management firms. The importance, from the viewpoint of the Malaysian engineers, of the constructability concepts and the degree of the actual application of those concepts in the Malaysian Construction Industry is presented so that an insight on constructability implementation can be established. Fieldwork results revealed that the Malaysian engineers showed high acceptance of 22 concepts and rejected the one that relates to the fast-track method of construction. Those engineers accepted the constructability concepts from the theoretical point of view but generally they did not apply these concepts in their practices. The study also concludes that the Malaysian engineers show a wide understanding of the majority of the concepts. However, they did not link those concepts under the umbrella of constructability.

The engineering faculty of the University of Malaya

Because of the shortage of professional engineers in Malaysia, the young engineer has to shoulder heavier responsibilities than his counterpart in more highly industrialised countries, and the engineering courses of the University of Malaya are geared to this need.