Malaysian Private Research Articles

Dealing with Mental Health Problems and Work Performance Among Frontline Healthcare Workers Through the Influence of Digital Platform in Malaysian Private Hospitals: A conceptual analysis

The purpose of this study to examine mental health problems of frontline healthcare workers and their impact on work performance through exploring the influence of digital platforms in Malaysian private hospitals. This research is essential in addressing previous knowledge and theoretical gaps on the antecedents that denote to mental health problems and how digital platforms are used to improve mental health wellbeing. Basically, this study discusses the impact of four independent variables which are categorized as depression, anxiety, insomnia and distress factors whereas dependent variable is work performance. This study also will discuss problems concerning work performance of frontline healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, medical assistance, pharmacists and HR Management), specifically on poor service quality, turnover intention, work-related burnout, and exhaustion in Malaysian private hospitals. Hence, this study explores new solutions on the employees’ work performance related issues to create awareness for the Malaysian private hospitals in improving mental health issues among front-line healthcare workers to enhance their work performance through the influence of digital platforms. Private hospitals in Malaysia are experiencing critical situations related to poor employees’ performance which indirectly influence the overall productivity. Thus, private hospitals need to provide serious attention towards these related issues. A conceptual framework was formulated based on identified research gaps through the literature review. It is expected that this study will enhance the awareness for the management in Malaysian private hospitals on dealing with mental health problems which impacts work performance by exploring digital platforms as a solution.

Evaluating Online Purchase Intentions among Malaysian Private University Students: The Role of Perceived Risk, and Trust in Online Vendors

Evaluating Online Purchase Intentions among Malaysian Private University Students: The Role of Perceived Risk, and Trust in Online Vendors

Impact of mindfulness dimensions on work engagement among white-collar employees during the new normal in Malaysia

This study examines the impact of mindfulness dimensions on work engagement among white-collar employees during the new normal in Malaysia. Employees today feel disengaged from their company in an environment where productivity and performance are critical. Research has indicated that elevated mindfulness levels have positive effects on the workplace and are a strong indicator of employee engagement. Previous studies have not thoroughly examined the impact of various facets of mindfulness on employee work engagement following the pandemic. This study investigated the impact of the four dimensions of mindfulness on employee engagement. This study was based on positivist philosophy and a deductive approach. Data for this quantitative study came from 227 employees in Malaysia's private sector who were employed in white-collar jobs. We gathered the primary data using a survey strategy and a self-administered questionnaire. The study's findings demonstrate a positive and significant relationship between work engagement and the four dimensions of mindfulness. More specifically, work engagement was most impacted by the mindfulness acceptance dimension, followed by the mindfulness awareness dimension. The study provided implications for both employers and employees regarding organizational programs aimed at enhancing mindfulness and work engagement, particularly in light of emerging work trends like remote work culture. This study expanded on the understanding of mindfulness at work for future researchers by looking at how mindfulness affects work engagement for white-collar workers and provided fresh insights, such as the greatest influence of the mindfulness-acceptance dimension.

Integrated Management Model of Malaysian Private Tahfiz Centers for User Acceptance Satisfaction by Using Linear Regression

تعليم تحفيظ هو أحد أكثر أشكال التعليم شعبية ومقبولة في ماليزيا. لقد تطورت عبر الزمن وهي متوفرة الآن في مراكز تحفيظ وكذلك في مؤسسات تحفيظ الحديثة. تعتبر إجراءات الحوكمة والمساءلة الفعالة مرغوبة للغاية في هذه الكيانات الإسلامية لأنها تتعامل مع واجب الوفاء بالالتزامات الدينية المقدسة. يستلزم نظام التعليم الإسلامي في ماليزيا اليوم اعتماد تقنية مبتكرة للتدريس والتعلم في تعليم وإدارة تحفيظ. يؤدي الافتقار إلى الموارد والبنية التحتية والمرافق إلى تفاقم حالة إدارة التعلم الخاصة بتحفيز. هدف البحث هذا باستخدام نموذج الإدارة المتكاملة لمراكز تحفيظ الخاصة الماليزية (I3M-Tahfiz) لكفاءة الرضا عن التعليم على المستوى العملي. بسبب تطبيق نموذج (I3M-Tahfiz) في مؤسسة تحفيظ عشوائية في ماليزيا ، سيكون التركيز على أساس رضا المستخدم. يتم استخدام النهج الشخصي للحصول على متوسط ​​نقاط الرأي (MOS) للمستخدمين من دراسة مراجعة قبول المستخدم. بعد إنشاء كل من النتائج التجريبية (MOS ) والموارد ، يتم استخدام نهج الانحدار الخطي لتحديد العلاقة بين قبول المستخدم والكيان الذي يسبب التأثير الرئيسي لكفاءة تحفيظ.

Pre-University Students' Perception in Using Generative AI: A Study at a Malaysian Private University

Pre-University Students' Perception in Using Generative AI: A Study at a Malaysian Private University

Instructors’ perceptions and pedagogical approaches to online teaching in selected Malaysian private universities

Instructors’ perceptions and pedagogical approaches to online teaching in selected Malaysian private universities

THE INFLUENCE OF ORGANISATIONAL INTEGRITY CULTURE ON ETHICAL PERFORMANCE IN PRIVATE HEALTHCARE: A STUDY

This study thoroughly investigates the vital role of organisational integrity culture (OIC) in Malaysia's private healthcare sector, highlighting the complex interplay between employee integrity performance (EIP) and the resulting competitive advantage derived from effective integrity practices. By combining resource-based and ethical theories into OIC, the research emphasises its strategic importance as a fundamental asset driving competitive advantage by cultivating integrity practice and boosting EIP. The study aims to analyse model fit and quantify significant construct correlations. Research inquiries, objectives, and hypotheses focus on understanding the influence of OIC on integrity practice, the impact of integrity practice on EIP, and the mediating role of integrity practice in the OIC-EIP relationship. SmartPLS provides methodological rigour in study design, target population delineation, sample, and reasoning. The study also seeks to fill gaps in private healthcare ethics literature and better understand how OIC affects staff ethics. Through empirical investigation, the study pioneers the exploration of the relationship between OIC and EIP in Malaysia's private healthcare sector, utilising the Malaysian Institute Integrity Index to illuminate this association. Ultimately, the researcher expects the findings to provide actionable insights for improving EIP through effective integrity practices while highlighting the critical role of organisational resources in sustaining competitive advantage.

The Effectiveness of Technology Enhanced Assessment in Malaysian Higher Education for Medical Students

Technology-enhanced assessment (TEA) means all types of assessments that use technological aid either online or offline, either during or after learning with the objective of improving or assessing the process of learning. Aims: This study assessed the effectiveness and influence of TEA on the academic performance of medical students in a Malaysian private university. A cross-sectional study was conducted and convenience sampling was applied to recruit participants. A validated online questionnaire was used and the participants were required to report their demographic characteristics, academic performance before and after using TEA, and their attitudes towards the TEA. Paired-t-test was performed to assess the difference in medical students’ mean CGPA before and after using TEA. Study findings showed that medical students have positive attitudes towards TEA and believe that TEA offers value to their learning. TEA was found to have a positive impact on the academic performance by which there is a significance difference in medical students’ mean CGPA before and after using TEA (p0.05). TEA is an effective tool that can enhance the learning process among medical students. Nevertheless, the sample studied need to be more diverse to be able to generalize the results for all medical students along different universities and countries.

The Influence of Electronic Customer Relationship Management (E-CRM) on Customer Satisfaction (CS) and Customer Loyalty (CL): A Pilot Study in Malaysian Private Institute of Higher Learning

The Influence of Electronic Customer Relationship Management (E-CRM) on Customer Satisfaction (CS) and Customer Loyalty (CL): A Pilot Study in Malaysian Private Institute of Higher Learning

Thriving in scarcity: Harnessing intellectual capital for open frugal innovation

Private higher education institutions (PHEIs) are struggling to invest in the facilities, tools, and staff required to build a complete IR4.0 education ecosystem due to a lack of funding and technological resources. This research investigates the role of intellectual capital elements (Human, Relational, and Structural Capital) in promoting frugal innovation in Malaysian private universities utilizing knowledge-based theory. Using a quantitative research approach, we collected survey data from 308 respondents affiliated with Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) in Malaysia. The study found that human capital is not statistically significant in its relationship with frugal innovation in higher education, while structural capital and relational capital do show significant relationships. These findings contribute to our understanding of intellectual capital's role in frugal innovation in Malaysian PHEIs.

Mitigating Challenges in the Administration of Private Higher Educational Institutions in Malaysia

Education plays a crucial role in creating individuals who contribute positively to the development of a country. The private education sector in Malaysia, has proven to be a major source of revenue for the Malaysian government, and it is the government’s aspiration to capture a large percentage of the higher education global market. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the challenges faced by academic leaders in managing private universities in Malaysia and to provide feasible recommendations to overcome them. The findings are expected to provide valuable information to the management of Malaysian private universities, policymakers, and regulatory agencies. The information gathered could provide enlightenment regarding the difficulties faced in order to design and implement further policies to elevate their operational method and ensure long-term survival. Valuable recommendations have been provided to ensure the institutions remain profitable and sustainable as the development of Malaysia’s social and economic sector is dependent on its education sector.

An Exploring Rewards Systems and Turnover Intention among Malaysian Private University Academics: The Role of Continuance Commitment as a Mediator

This research employed an empirical approach in overviewing the relationship between five independent variables namely, remuneration, work-life balance, supervisor support, and employee recognition and the intention of turnover by means of employees' continuance commitment. The study comprises a total of 331 academics from the four private universities that were selected. This study utilized a structured survey to collect data, drawing on publicly available literature to inform the survey's design. Building upon a comprehensive review of existing literature, the survey instrument was tailored to address the specific research objectives of this study, incorporating modifications as deemed necessary. The analysis presented in this chapter offers a detailed examination of both the measurement and structural models employed in the study. The measurement model rigorously assessed the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments, ensuring that indicators met established criteria for accuracy and precision. Subsequent Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analyses revealed that neither direct nor mediated paths achieved statistical significance, indicating a lack of empirical support for the hypothesized relationships among the variables under investigation. This comprehensive evaluation provides valuable insights into the methodological rigor of the study and highlights avenues for future research exploration.

Using Analytical Hierarchy Process for Medical Equipment Maintenance and Replacement Decision in Malaysia Private Hospitals

Medical equipment is any instrument, appliance, software, or material intended by the manufacturer to be used, alone or in combination for medical purpose. Further, medical equipment maintenance and replacement is a challenging procedure, especially for high-end equipment. This topic has been a long debate as the equipment will increase undesirable failure; where an early maintenance or replacement will result in high investment costs and premature disposal and late maintenance or replacement will lead to malfunctions that can pose serious risks to patient safety and healthcare operations. However, hospitals are unable to decide whether to maintain or replace the equipment especially when the equipment reaches its life and has a high repair cost. A few studies were conducted on the same research topic, but most of the findings emphasized maintenance and replacement methods rather than the criteria contributing to the decision. The criteria to maintain or replace medical equipment play an essential role to ensure the equipment is operating cost-effectively. Hence, the objective of this research is to apply Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach to prioritize important criteria that influence decision-makers to decide whether to maintain or replace medical equipment. Some of potential criteria for the decision-making include maintenance cost, support, and regulatory compliance. This research utilized a mixed method approach to gather preliminary data from medical equipment experts and surveys to prioritize the criteria. Findings suggested a list of criteria that are influenced in decision-making to maintain or replace the medical equipment. The prioritization of the criteria reveals the downtime, life cycle cost and beyond economical repair (BER) to be the most important criteria.

Exploring the lived and coping experiences of patients with kidney failure undergoing haemodialysis in Malaysian private hospitals.

Chronic kidney disease is associated with structural and functional abnormalities in the kidney caused by a range of different aetiologies. The study's purpose was to explore the lived and coping experiences of patients with kidney failure undergoing haemodialysis in three private hospitals in Malaysia. Applying an interpretative phenomenological analysis using a hermeneutic phenomenological design to derive common meaning from participants lived and coping experiences. In the study, data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide from 15 purposefully sampled patients with kidney failure. Data were analysed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis principles. Patients with kidney failure reported emotional distress, life limitations, financial burdens, knowledge deficits and varying perceptions of the haemodialysis treatment. Body image changes, financial assistance, social support and hope were coping strategies used by patients with kidney failure. It was identified that patients with kidney failure used unique coping strategies such as applying perfume and using clothes to conceal the impact of haemodialysis on their bodies, which is not comprehensively discussed in published literature. Nurses who deliver care to patients with kidney failure should focus on mitigating emotional distress, increasing knowledge related to kidney failure and improving perception of the haemodialysis treatment. Delivering and providing social support are indispensable nursing roles to help patients cope with haemodialysis treatment.

Commentary: Exploring the lived and coping experiences of patients with kidney failure undergoing haemodialysis in Malaysian private hospitals.

Commentary: Exploring the lived and coping experiences of patients with kidney failure undergoing haemodialysis in Malaysian private hospitals.

Exploring the relationship between student green engagement and entrepreneurial behavior: a serial mediation approach

Purpose This study aims to emphasize the youth community’s importance in sustaining green entrepreneurial efforts. The study used the stimulus organism response framework as the theoretical base using two separate studies. Design/methodology/approach Study 1 commences the development of the student green engagement construct through a focus group, panel discussion and exploratory factor analysis, which supported five items. Study 2 measures the relationship of student green engagement with green entrepreneurial intention by mediating university entrepreneurial support and entrepreneurial motivation. Data from 448 students were gathered from five Malaysian private institutions using a purposive sampling technique. Findings Findings indicate a robust association of student green engagement (stimuli) with green entrepreneurial intention (organism). Furthermore, mediation analysis shows strong mediating effects of university entrepreneurial support and entrepreneurial motivation on green entrepreneurship behavior (response). Originality/value The study’s findings can help the universities and concerned governmental departments instill a sense of sustainable entrepreneurship in university students.

Examining the Sufficiency of Private Pension Fund in Malaysia using Monte Carlo Simulation

Retirees must make wise plans to have enough savings in order to continue living at the same level after retirement. Retirement planning is essential for ensuring enough retirement funds, which give Malaysians elderlies with a source of income to maintain their standard of living and keep them out of poverty. Uncertainties in dividend rates, interest rates, and inflation have made it difficult for Malaysia's private pension system, notably the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) scheme, to stay financially viable and capable of offering pensioners adequate protection. Thus, this study takes into consideration these important factors in analyzing the sufficiency of the private pension fund in Malaysia for different income groups namely top 20% of income earners (T20), middle 40% income earners (M40) and bottom 40% income earners (B40). Several scenarios are prepared according to Malaysian’s norm to examine the sufficiency of pension fund for each income group. The differences among the scenarios are income groups, retirement age and number of pension fund withdrawals. Then, the Monte Carlo simulation is run to calculate the accumulated value of the pension fund. Following that, the estimated monthly pension amount and the income replacement ratio are calculated to measure pension sufficiency. The results show that the income replacement ratio on average is significantly lower for all income groups as compared to the World Bank standard which stated that the income replacement ratio should not be below 70%. The results also show similar ratio with the current income replacement ratio recorded in Malaysia currently. When the number of withdrawals is taken into consideration, the income replacement ratios on average also show a decreasing pattern for all income groups. These findings indicate that the income replacement ratio in Malaysia is below the ideal rate and the pension amount is not sufficient to maintain the standard of living and purchasing power of retirees. Therefore, the government should take some action regarding this problem focusing on the B40 income group on how to increase their pension fund for better quality of life during retirement and avoid poverty.

Factors influencing employee retention of academic home tutors in a private school

This study’s goal is to investigate the links between pay and benefits, worklife balance, professional development, and employee retention among academic home tutors in a Malaysian private school. Data from 80 respondents from this private school were gathered using a quantitative survey method. Statistical package for social science (SPSS) was employed throughout the study to analyze the data. The study results showed that salary & compensation and career enhancement positively correlate with employee retention. Meanwhile, work-life balance was not statistically linked with employee retention. The management should revise the human resource management practices by including these elements. The management should design salary & compensation packages that fit with individual knowledge, capabilities, and performance. The management may also consider offering flexible work schedules, such as training, mentoring, job mobility, and a reduction in working hours, as well as wellness assistance, such as counselling services and health and wellness initiatives. This will give employees the chance to advance their careers.

Personality traits and job performance among academic staff in a private academic institution

<span lang="EN-US">This study investigates the association between the personality traits of academic staff members and their job performance in a Malaysian private educational institution. The personality traits were based on the Big Five model, which has five dimensions: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. About 110 participants from this institution were surveyed using a quantitative questionnaire, and their data were gathered. Throughout the study, the data were examined utilizing multiple regression analysis and factor analysis. According to the study’s findings, conscientiousness, and openness to experience significantly positively affect job performance. However, it was determined that extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism were not statistically significant and had no connection to job performance. As a result, in this institution, openness to experience is the most essential predictor of job performance. The findings of this study showed the management that openness to experience and conscientiousness are crucial for improving job performance inside the institution. Therefore, the management should pay more attention to these areas and recruit new employees with openness to experience and conscientious personality traits.</span>

Awareness of Gig Economy in Malaysia: Study At International University of Malaya-Wales

Digitalization has transformed the world of business tremendously. The world of employment has shifted from a conventional method to a more flexible and seamless way. A gig economy has opened secondary careers that have created more opportunities that consequently have boosted the country’s economy. This secondary career is referred to as “freelancing”, or work on a job basis. In Malaysia, awareness and knowledge on this matter is still lacking and needs more studies and investigation. Past studies in Malaysia found that the gig economy faces challenges in terms of job security and safety, protection policies, proper platforms and dissemination, etc. Due to this, more studies are required to examine better development and implementation for gig communities. The findings will facilitate the development of better platforms and communities for a gig economy. Thus, this study aims to understand the awareness and knowledge of Malaysian private higher education staff and students on the gig economy. As such, this study specifically gathers data at the International University of Malaya-Wales. The findings will provide insights to lecturers, students, even alumni on how this kind of economy will benefit them and other stakeholders. These findings will also enrich the current data and information for policymakers, employers, and practitioners.
 Keywords: gig economy, private university, human resource, awareness, knowledge