Southeast Asian Context Research Articles

Informal Competition and Innovation in Southeast Asian Countries: Examining the Moderating Influence of Gender

This study investigates the impact of informal competition on the innovation of Southeast Asian firms and the moderating role of female management in the informal competition–innovation nexus. In the Southeast Asian context, the informal sector employs around 78% of the working population, which is higher than the world average of 61% and the Asia-Pacific average of 68%. The analysis is based on firm-level data collected by the World Bank for eight Southeast Asian countries in 2015–2016. The quantitative analysis was conducted with the use of the multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression method to address the hierarchical/multilevel problem. Additionally, the potential endogeneity problem was taken into account with the use of the propensity score matching technique. The findings show that informal competition induces firms to increase their product and process innovations. Furthermore, female management is important in leveraging the positive effects of informal competition on innovation.

When Bare Life is Bearable: The Life Projects of Rohingya and Hazara Refugees Living in Malaysia

With anti-migrant populism and strict border regimes in many receiving countries, hundreds of thousands of refugees have been entangled in transit situations and face critically vulnerable conditions. While recent research on transit migration has explored “life projects,” including work, studies, and volunteering undertaken by refugees to make their lives more bearable in a context of protracted uncertainty, how refugees describe the country in which they are living and what facilitates their life projects there have remained less understood in a Southeast Asian context and in the Global South more generally. This article addresses this lacuna, drawing on interviews with Rohingya and Hazara refugees living in Malaysia. Rohingya and Hazara refugees described Malaysia as a safer place than their home countries, where they had endured violence and persecution. Examining key conditions underpinning the life projects of Hazara and Rohingya refugees, this article demonstrates that refugee lives are not completely on hold in transit situations, despite what dominant understandings of refugee lives often suggest. As it shows, while Rohingya and Hazara refugees are excluded from legal rights in Malaysia, the Malaysian state has not made them fully subject to laws and, instead, at times, has tacitly supported refugees. This situation has enabled refugees to pursue informal life projects, leading to a bearable bare life.

Understanding Higher Education EFL Learners’ Motivation in Southeast Asia Context: A Systematic Literature Review

Motivation is regarded as one of the major factors in language learning. Therefore, it is very important for teachers to recognize and foster individual students’ motivation as well as identify and respond to their concerns. This systematic literature review study aimed to portray students’ motivational level, orientation, and factors that are dominantly affecting motivation among higher education students in the Southeast Asia context. There are two stages comprised in this study—selecting the pool of review studies and discussing the outcomes of the review. Having thorough sorting and eliminating irrelevant and duplicate articles from three databases (Sciencedirect, ProQuest and ERIC), 15 articles derived from Indonesia, Thailand and East Timor were finally selected. This study, then, found that students’ motivational levels were generally high, and they were more extrinsically than intrinsically motivated, in which most students learn English for their future better job (careers). It was reported that the key factors motivated students in the learning process were friends, and teachers (personality, competence, teaching method), and somehow female students have a different motivational level and orientation from male students. Hence, the English teachers are suggested to reconsider using a method or anything which can improve students’ motivation for both female and male students, both extrinsically and intrinsically. further studies are recommended to include a broader search database and also area part of countries.

Localizing global concepts: an exploration of Indigeneity in Cambodia

ABSTRACT Studies of Indigeneity in Southeast Asia have consistently stressed its contested nature. The relevance of the concept has been questioned by governments in this region on the basis that both majority and minority ethnic groups are equally Indigenous. An interesting divergence from this is Cambodia where the term “Indigenous” is recognized in Cambodian law. This has largely been permitted because the term in Khmer is applicable to both ethnic minorities and the Khmer majority. This raises the question of how the concept of Indigenous is interpreted and used in Khmer and other languages. This article explores the root meaning of the Khmer term. Understanding how the concept of Indigeneity has itself been indigenized opens possibilities for building nuances of the term which can provide constructive approaches to addressing majority/minority cultural dynamics. In other words, exploring how terms developed from other contexts have been transposed into local languages can allow for contextualizing concepts to address local realities. A wider understanding of the concept of Indigenous in Khmer allows for building on the concept of Indigeneity in Cambodia, and perhaps other Southeast Asian contexts.

Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intention among Malaysian Private University Academics: Perceived Organisational Support as a Moderator

Research Aims: The present research examines the extent to which job satisfaction predicts turnover intentions and examines the extent to which perceived organisational support moderates the association between job satisfaction and turnover intention among academics in Malaysian private universities. Design/Methodology/Approach: This research adopted a quantitative method. The Turnover Intention Scale (TIS-6), Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), and Survey of Perceived Organisational Support (SPOS) questionnaires were administered. Multistage cluster random sampling was used in this study. A total of 327 respondents provided valid data and analysed it using SPSS Process Macro Version 3.5. Research Findings: Job satisfaction was found to be a negative predictor of turnover intention. The association between job satisfaction and turnover intention was shown to be moderated by perceived organisational support. Theoretical Contribution/Originality: The finding validated that perceived organisational support moderates the association between job satisfaction and turnover intention and demonstrates that academicians who perceive their organisation to be caring and supportive of their well-being will be more satisfied and less likely to intend to leave their organisational setting. Managerial Implication in the South East Asian context: The study provides an excellent platform for university managers to use in designing organisational support systems, including job structure, environment, autonomy, or flexibility to reduce academicians’ turnover intention and to increase academician’s job satisfaction. Research Limitation & Implications: The causal relationships between variables are a limitation of current research. This research provides valuable information for future researchers as well as raises awareness among academic staff about factors related to turnover intentions. Keywords: turnover intention, job satisfaction, perceived organisational support, academic staff, private universities, Malaysia

Drivers and Outcome of Motivation to Improve Work Through Learning: Evident from South East Asia

Research Aims: This study aims to examine the influence of social support on training transfer and investigate the mediating effect motivation to improve work through learning has on this relationship. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study used a quantitative design, utilising a cross-sectional survey via self-administered questionnaires, with experienced firefighters as respondents. Out of the 500 questionnaires received, 395 were valid responses and were further analysed using statistical analyses, such as confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. Research Findings: While peer support is a strong driver of training transfer, supervisor support has no significant influence on training transfer. Also, motivation to improve work through learning mediates the effect of social support on training transfer. Ample support from supervisors and peers to employees at work enhances employees’ motivation to improve work through learning and leads to applying the acquired knowledge, skills and abilities. Theoretical Contribution/Originality: This study provides evidence that human resource administrators should enhance the social support provided to employees to ensure that the new knowledge, skills and abilities acquired via training programmes are utilised on the job. Managerial Implications in the South East Asian Context: Social support is critical in public or private organisations. Adequate support to employees is needed to enable employees to benefit from the newly acquired knowledge, skills and attitudes gained through training. However, social support alone is insufficient without considering employees’ motivation to improve performance. Employees’ motivation to improve work through learning must be emphasised when promoting positive training transfer in organisations. Research Limitation & Implications: The cross-sectional approach and single informant limit the generalisability of the findings. Since the present study sample was drawn from one country and a single organisation, future studies could replicate the research in other countries and various organisation types to enrich the findings. Keywords: social support, supervisor support, motivation to improve work through learning, training transfer

Work-Family Enrichment: Does It Help Manage Emotional Exhaustion During The COVID-19 Pandemic?

Research Aims: This study aims to analyse the role of work-family enrichment on emotional labour and the impact of emotional exhaustion during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: The type of data collected is primary data that uses an online questionnaire. The sampling method is a purposive sampling technique. The PLS-SEAM is used to analyse the collected data. Research Findings: Work-family enrichment and family-work enrichment had a positive and significant effect on emotional labour (surface acting and deep acting) and on emotional exhaustion. Theoretical Contribution/Originality: The results of this study show the importance of the role of work and family enrichment to employees during this pandemic. That is, work and family support can give positive energy to manage their unstable emotions and reduce or even prevent some people from emotional exhaustion. Managerial Implication in the South East Asian Context: Organisations should concern with friendly-family policies that can fulfil work-family enrichment of employees. Employees will be more loyal to work and be more vigorous and thrive in the workplace, so it can reduce turnover. Research limitation & Implications: This study has not classified the workforce based on the WFH policy. The respondents could not differentiate between those who were WFH and those who were not. There seems to be a possibility that this can also affect work-family enrichment and emotional exhaustion. Keywords: well-being, work-family enrichment, emotional labour, emotional exhaustion

Strategic Management Accounting Information and Performance: Mediating Effect of Knowledge Management

Research Aims: The objective of this study is to examine the relationship ‎between Strategic Management Accounting (SMA) information, Knowledge Management (KM), and the performance of ‎Malaysian hospitals. Design/methodology/approach: A survey is employed, and data is collected using self- administered questionnaires. Responses from 95 Malaysian private hospitals were ‎analysed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) 3.0. Research Findings: The findings indicate that SMA ‎information positively affects ‎performance, and KM mediates the ‎relationship between SMA information and interpretation. Theoretical Contribution/Originality: This study utilised the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory to explain SMA information as a resource and KM as a capability that impacts the competitive advantage of organisations. This study ‎contributes to the line of literature on SMA information and ‎KM in the healthcare sector. Managerial Implication in the South East Asian Context: Findings of this study can be used by managers to improve SMA ‎information and KM in their organisations. Research limitation & Implications: Firstly, the data were collected from a single sector, the healthcare sector, in a developing economy and focused on hospitals. It ‎may be inappropriate for the results of this study to be used for other sectors, such as industrial sectors or in other countries. ‎Secondly, the results from path analysis do not explain for sure how ‎these independent variables influence the dependent variables. ‎Although the path analysis can reveal the significant relationships between the independent and dependent variables, it is insufficient to provide subjective information that may need to ‎be addressed using a qualitative method. Keywords: strategic management accounting, information, knowledge management, healthcare, hospital

Motivating First-Generation Factory Employees: A Case Study of the Garment Industry in Myanmar

Research Aims: This study investigates how to foster and motivate factory employees at the onset of industrialisation. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 728 employees of the garment sector in Myanmar were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Research Findings: The results of this study indicate 1) that employees’ maladaptation to factory discipline leads to workplace stress and fuels employees’ counter-productive behaviour and 2) that employees who perceive benevolence from the factory manager take on pro-organizational (vs counter-productive) behaviour based on social exchange rooted in indigenous patron-client ties. Theoretical Contribution/Originality: This study discusses the singular aspects of human resource management (HRM) at the onset of industrialisation. The cause of workplace stress differs from what is widely claimed in industrialised societies. Organisational commitment is deeply affected by cultural settings. Managerial Implications in the South East Asian Context: This study offers insights for cultivating and motivating factory employees hailing from indigenous societies. Moreover, HRM practices based on patron-client ties that persist in southeast Asian societies can be effective measures to enhance organisational commitment. Research Limitations & Implications: The current study does not cover either white-collar or skilled employees in the capital-intensive industry. Keywords: organisational maladaptation, motivation, factory discipline, workplace stress, social exchange, Myanmar

Indonesia Female Principal Performance Appraisal: Gender Perspective

Research Aims: This study aimed to determine the direct influence of communication style and individual competence on female principals' empowering leadership and performance in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach: The respondents of this study were 220 teachers from 3 accredited high schools with female principals in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The questionnaire was analysed using structural equation modelling with AMOS to determine the relationship between variables and using Sobel Test to test leadership as a mediating variable. Research findings: The results of this study show that communication style and competence have a positive and significant effect on leadership and performance, leadership has a significant effect on performance, and leadership acts as a mediating variable. The results also indicate that gender acts as a moderating variable by strengthening the relationship between leadership and principal performance. Theoretical Contribution/Originality: The contribution of this study is to develop and examine the direct and indirect relationship between communication style, competence, gender, leadership, and performance of principals. Managerial Implication in the South East Asian Context: The results of this study can help principals design effective leadership development programs by selecting the appropriate leadership style to improve the performance of school principals. Research limitation & Implications: This research is limited by the number of respondents and the number of predictor variables of leadership and performance. This research has important implications for future research on the joint effects of contextual factors, personal characteristics, and social network attributes in the gendering leadership in the education sector. Keywords: communication style, competence, gender, leadership, performance

The Arbitrating Effects of Leadership, Equity, and Integrity on Employee’s Organizational Commitment – A study of Hotels in Jharkhand

Research Aims: Improve organizational commitment through leadership, organizational equity, and Integrity. Design/methodology/approach: A survey method with path analysis techniques to test the direct effect and use Sobel test to test the Arbitrating effect of variable variables: Leadership (X1), Equity (X2), and Integrity (X3), on the Organizational Commitment (Y) at Hotels in India. Data were collected using a questionnaire. The number of samples for the study was 123 respondents drawn from a population of 153 people. Research Findings: Leadership, organizational equity, and Integrity have a positive and significant effect on organizational commitment. That the variable that most affects organizational commitment is the Integrity variable. Whereas for testing the Arbitrating effect, the results obtained are Arbitrating effects of leadership on organizational commitment through Integrity, there is an Arbitrating effect of leadership on organizational commitment through equity, and there is an Arbitrating effect of organizational equity on organizational commitment through Integrity, with the number of Arbitrating effects. It was found that the Arbitrating effects of leadership through equity showed greater results than through Integrity. Theoretical Contribution/Originality: The effect of leadership, equity, and Integrity to increase organizational commitment. Managerial Implication in the South East Asian context: A great organizational commitment from human resources in a hotel, management of hotel could improve the business and adapt in response to situation changes.
 Research limitation & implications: management of hotels should find a strategic point how to improve organizational commitment of their employees to their company.

Addressing Rice Waste in University Cafeterias Using Material Flow Analysis and System Dynamics Modeling

Food waste has emerged as one of the focus areas in sustainability research. At the Ateneo de Manila University, previous studies have found that food waste is composed mainly of rice. This study, therefore, analyzed cafeteria rice systems in the university through a material flow analysis (MFA) to identify key factors for formulating effective rice waste reduction techniques and then applied the results toward developing system dynamics (SD) models as tools for decision-making. The MFA found that the total mass of produced known rice waste was 49.48 kg/d. The largest sources of rice wastes were the upstream processes of the cafeteria rice system involving the cooking and serving of rice. The SD model developed for one cafeteria found that the service stage was the largest source of rice waste. The main factor influencing service waste generation was the surplus of cooked rice. A scenario was simulated in which the amount of rice used in additional batches cooked was minimized, yielding a substantial decrease in the mass of service waste and lost revenue. Not only does this research provide baseline information that enables the university to enhance sustainable consumption and food waste minimization efforts, but it also contributes to the data pool for rice wastage in the Philippine and Southeast Asian contexts. Furthermore, results indicate a need to re-strategize rice waste campaigns that focus on consumption when much can be done in the preparation and service stages. Collaborating with cafeteria management to improve efficiency in the kitchen is key in addressing the overall rice waste problem. Downstream, consumer-focused interventions targeting changes in attitudes and behaviors must be complemented by upstream changes in operations and management approaches to support both a structural and cultural transformation for sustainability.

Roles of civil society in peacebuilding in Southeast Asia: the case studies of Mindanao, Aceh, and Southernmost Thailand

ABSRACT The purposes of this study are to give an overview of what CSOs can contribute to peacebuilding in Southeast Asian context: Mindanao (the Philippines), Aceh (Indonesia), and the southernmost provinces of Thailand; and to study the advantages and challenges of CSOs in peacebuilding. This study referred to the Paffenholz’s framework of civil society role in peacebuilding, including protection, monitoring, advocacy, socialization, social cohesion, facilitation, and service delivery. A qualitative method was used, which found that socialization and social cohesion were the most important in building lasting peace. The important factors supporting these roles are law frameworks and CSO networking. The main obstacles that hinder their fulfillment in the peacebuilding process are the complexity of the conflicts, political situation, and funding.

Evaluation of Situational Judgment Tests in student selection in Indonesia and the impact on diversity issues

BackgroundInternationally, medical selection relies heavily on prior academic attainment which has an adverse impact on the diversity of selected students. Since non-academic attributes are also important, this study aims to evaluate the use of a Situational Judgment Test (SJT) for selection and the impact on student diversity relating to gender, ethnicity and socio-economic status. Previous SJT research has almost entirely originated from a Western context and this study focuses on new evidence in a South East Asian context with a different demographic profile.MethodsThirty faculty members developed 112 SJT scenarios assessing professionalism, communication and self-awareness domains. The scenarios underwent a concordance stage where stakeholder input was sought on the content appropriateness, to define the item scoring key, followed by an initial psychometric evaluation with first and second year medical students (N = 436). Based on these results, 30 scenarios, consisting of 128 nested items, were selected for pilot testing and evaluation regarding diversity issues with two cohorts of applicants in 2017 (N = 446) and 2018 (N = 508).ResultsThe SJT demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha of 0.80 and 0.81 respectively). There were significant differences in SJT scores based on gender in both years, where females consistently outperformed males (p = .0001). However, no significant differences were found based on high school origin, parental educational background or ethnicity.ConclusionsThis is the first study to evaluate the use of an SJT in Indonesia, which has a unique diversity profile compared to Western countries. Largely, the preliminary results replicate previous studies of the potential diversity benefits of using an SJT as a tool for medical student selection and has the potential to level the playing field regarding socio-economic status and ethnicity. Further studies exploring more variables representing diversity are warranted to confirm the early results in this study.

The factor structure and measurement invariance of the PHQ-4 and the prevalence of depression and anxiety in a Southeast Asian context amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) as an ultra-brief screener of depression and anxiety in the Philippines during the COVID-19 outbreak. Data from 4,524 non-clinical community respondents aged 18-73 years old was collected online between March and July 2020. We evaluated the screener’s factor structure, measurement invariance, and criterion-related validity using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), multigroup CFA, and structural equation modeling (SEM), respectively. We also evaluated the accuracy of the PHQ-4 cut-off scores by comparing the them with the screeners’ full scales (i.e., PHQ-9 and GAD-7). Using the cutoff scores of the screeners, we also estimated the prevalence rates of depression and anxiety. The PHQ-4 has good internal reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.82). The CFA results show that the two-factor model has an excellent model fit that is superior to the one-factor model. The two-factor model held through increasingly constrained multigroup CFA models across gender, age, and geographical location groups, demonstrating measurement invariance. The SEM model supported the PHQ-4’s theoretical association to stress, negative affect, and positive affect, supporting the screener’s criterion-related validity. In estimating prevalence rates, among those screened by the PHQ-4 cut-off scores for depression (n = 1,905, 42.11%) and anxiety (n = 1,853, 40.96%), 81.78% and 94.06% were consequently screened by the PHQ-9 and GAD-7, respectively. This study supports the reliability, validity, and measurement invariance of the PHQ-4 as an ultra-brief screener of depression and anxiety in a large community sample in Southeast Asia. The inclusion of ultra-brief screeners in COVID-19-related studies and other human disasters, especially among non-clinical samples in low- and middle-income countries, is relevant for the sustainable evaluation and monitoring of the severity mental health symptoms leading to timely and effective mental health service provision.

“Buslish” in East and Southeast Asian business – a role for continuing education

PurposeThe aim of the research, in the East and Southeast Asia context, is to explore the advantages and problems of Buslish (business facilitation English) for managers and to generate suggestions for maximising the use of Buslish as a critical resource in organisational effectiveness, including potential educational support and its required technology.Design/methodology/approachData aimed to explore the issue were collected from a multi-country sample of 31 non-native English speakers, using a semi-structured questionnaire, plus in-depth interviews (10) with some respondents. Data were analysed using a mixture of descriptive statistics and logical argumentation.FindingsThe authors found a strong agreement that Buslish is important in the chosen setting, but there are problems in practice. Views on the importance of style and precision of the language actually used varied considerably. A key practical implication is that there is a role for English continuing professional development (CPD) courses.Practical implicationsFirms should support the development of English language skills of employees, certainly at management level and perhaps also at shop floor level. Suitable courses could be offered in firms' CPD programmes. Employees who are native speakers should be encouraged to enunciate clearly for non-native speaker colleagues, not to use slang and not to speak too quickly. While the authors encourage the use of contemporary communication technologies (e.g. virtual classrooms), they maintain that these should be supplementary in nature, supporting, rather than replacing, face-to-face learning formats.Originality/valueA key aspect of the originality of the work is derived from the specific location, primary data collected and the creative nexus of the initial issue and its educational requirements, including technologies.

An Outlook on Responsible Tourism in Southeast Asia

Despite the influx of wealth and business opportunities tourism brings, its degrading impact on the environment and local destinations remain as a major concern. Although the importance of sustainable tourism is undeniable, it is a concept or catchphrase which is often found value-laden, ambiguous or onerous. One main reason is because the local issues and priorities in a destination or region are more than often dissimilar to another. While the discourse on sustainable development in tourism continues largely for good cause, the importance of responsibility begins to emerge. Responsible Tourism is an important and urgent call for action, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. As tourism development and recovery is essential to the economy of developing region, managing priorities and harnessing partnership between stakeholders in a responsible manner become increasingly significant. As scholars and residents in Southeast Asia, our viewpoints offer some insights about responsible tourism in this region. In addition, a qualitative approach via online survey was administered to elicit the perceptions of tourism academics, practitioners and frequent travellers towards responsible tourism. A framework was subsequently proposed to articulate what responsible tourism in the Southeast Asian context. Implications of the study are discussed.

Transitional Justice in Southeast Asia

The issue of transitional justice has largely evaded the theoretical discussion on the democratization in Southeast Asian context despite the importance of coming to terms with the history of abuse and violence of the past authoritarian regimes. This article fills out this lacuna by incorporating the regional analysis of transitional justice process in several Southeast Asian countries to the larger and mainstream theories of transitional justices that are developed from other contexts. Using the case of transitional justice in Cambodia, East Timor, the Philippines, and Indonesia, this article found that the two most predominant accounts in the literature – the “balance of power” and the “justice cascade” theories – are inadequate to explain the conditions of emergence of the transitional justice and the kind of justice measure that the state would adopt. In turn, studies of empirical cases in these four Southeast Asian countries shed light on three plausible factors previously overlooked in the literatures: a) the distinctive, locally based, notion of justice; b) the frame and narrative of legitimacy of past violence; and c) the degree of complicity and entrenchment of current ruling elites in the past conflict.

The Effect of Perceived Product Quality, Brand Personality, and Loyalty on Brand Switching Intention of Technological Products

  Research Aims: Laptops are essential in people's everyday lives. Since laptop utilization has been very high during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, many laptop manufacturers have made efforts to drive consumers to switch to their laptop brands. The main objective of this research is to examine how perceived product quality, brand personality, and loyalty affect brand switching intention. Design/methodology/approach: The data were collected online from 216 consumers. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was employed to analyse the data.   Research Findings: The result demonstrates that perceived product quality, brand personality, and loyalty have both direct and indirect negative effects on consumers' switching intention. It is revealed that variables play a pivotal role in consumers' evaluation of laptop products and their subsequent switching intention.   Theoretical Contribution/Originality: There is currently a dearth of studies testing the impact of brand personality dimensions on consumer brand identification, perceived product quality, loyalty, and switching intention. Our findings provide more insight into switching intention as a means to achieve a competitive edge in global laptop shipments during the Covid-19 pandemic.   Managerial Implications in the South East Asian context: This study can serve as a comprehensive guideline for businesses to position their brands successfully to reduce any consumer switching intentions affecting their products. However, consumers' perspectives on brand personality with a laptop product affect their critical evaluations. Global laptop manufacturers should leverage brand personality to engender positive consumer evaluation and reduce switching intention.   Research Limitations & Implications: Other factors beyond the scope of the research, such as brand-related factors, have many different inherent attributes (e.g., specifications, functions, designs, prices, and advancements) whose influence on switching intention needs to be considered in future research.   

Perception and Challenges of Select Higher Educational Institutions on its Role in the Technology Business Incubation in the Visayas, Philippines

Research Aims: The present study aims to document perceptions and identify the challenges on the participation and role of technology business incubators (TBIs) of select academic institutions in Visayas, Philippines. Design/methodology/approach: It is quantitative-qualitative research, which utilized survey questionnaires and focus group discussion of twenty-five (25) key informants (KIs) from nine higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Visayas. KIs include key officials and faculty who handled research, technology transfer, business incubation, intellectual property, and/or technology licensing functions in their respective HEIs. Research Findings: All KIs were from state universities or colleges, and most KIs were female (64%), married (60%), and holders of a doctorate degree (72%). Results showed that most KIs had good knowledge of TBI operations and intellectual property rights, but acknowledged the need for developing capacities and facilities for the TBI operations. Theoretical Contribution/Originality: This study identified key challenges and concerns of the HEIs that can affect the implementation and operations of the TBI program in the Philippines which include the training needs of the faculty, lack of manpower and budget, and the sustainability of the facility/operation. The HEIs also need support from government agencies and non-government organizations. Managerial Implication in the South East Asian context: TBI can help in the improvement of the country's innovation index, technopreneurship, and value creation. Philippine HEIs should consider the cost and sustainability of setting up TBIs as well as how they benchmark their activities against other Southeast Asian countries. Research limitation & implications: Although the sample appears to be limited, data was collected from key HEI managers and decision-makers. Therefore, this study can still provide insights for current and prospective TBIs to help address common concerns and formulate policies and strategies for the operations and sustainability of the program in their respective HEIs.